LOUISVILLE (KY)
WDRB [Louisville KY]
January 2, 2025
By Christie Battista
A priest who formerly worked in Louisville is facing charges of child sex abuse and this isn’t the first time he’s been accused.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A priest who formerly worked in Louisville is facing charges of child sex abuse, and this isn’t the first time he’s been accused.
Joseph Mouser, 86, was removed from public ministry in 2002 and is facing new charges of child sodomy and sexual abuse. The alleged abuse happened 35 years ago.
Although the accusations against the 86-year-old are new, court records state the incidents happened between 1989 and 1991.
The victim was younger than 12.
Melanie Sakoda works as the support director for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
“Given the background of this particular priest, I don’t think there’s any question that he is capable of doing just this,” she said.
He was one of two dozen priests listed in a class action lawsuit that accused him of abusing minors in the 1960s and 1970s.
Court records show Mouser was accused of taking several boys to the drive-in, gave them alcohol and assaulted them.
This was during his time at St. Francis of Assisi in Louisville and St. Helen in Glasgow. That lawsuit was settled for nearly $26 million the following year.
In 2005, he was directed by the Holy See to lead a life of prayer and penance.
“Studies have shown that most victims, a lot of victims come forward between the time they’re 50 to 70,” Sakoda said. “That’s when they begin dealing with their abuse, so it’s not unusual to have cases that are 40 years old to come forward.”
After those allegations, Louisville’s archbishop at the time sent him to live in a private home at the Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse in Nerinx, Kentucky.
He was not supposed to serve in any active ministry.
According to the National Catholic Reporter, he was found to be doing that while serving as chaplain to the Sisters of Loretto in 2020.
It says he also had close contact with children as students from a nearby high school and other kids would often visit the farm.
Sakoda remembers hearing about that.
“I remember being very shocked and disappointed at the time, both in the religious community that allowed him to do that and in the diocese for not being on top of what he was doing,” Sakoda said.
The Archdiocese of Louisville said in a statement:
“Fr. Mouser ended his ministry in the archdiocese decades ago. With the support of the Holy See, he was ordered to live a life of prayer and penance. Presently, he resides in a nursing home. We have not heard anything regarding the indictment and cannot comment on this matter.”
Due to him facing felony charges, there’s no statute of limitations. He’s been initially charged with four counts of sodomy and two counts of sexual abuse.
Mouser is being held on a $5,000 cash bond and is expected to appear in court on Jan. 22.