Fr. John J. Carney

Ordained: 1963
Status: Accused

Died: 10/30/2020
Diocese: Archdiocese of Baltimore MD

Name included on the Baltimore archdiocese’s 9/2002 list of priests who had been accused of child sexual abuse. Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General’s Report. Parish priest, teacher at Archbishop Keough High School early in career. Assigned from 1972 forward as chaplain at various nursing homes and hospitals. In 1991 a woman reported that on numerous occasions Carney fondled and kissed her when she was age 10, in 1970 or 1971, when he was assigned to Our Lady of Victory. Also at the parish was later credibly accused priest Fr. John Peacock, who  was told of an incident. He told the parish only that Carney was going on retreat. The woman said that when she was between 18-20 she reported the abuse to Baltimore County Police and that Carney admitted the abuse on a phone call. No prosecution. She said she met with the Archdiocese but they wouldn’t discuss the abuse. They settled with her for $50K. In 1991 Carney admitted kissing the girl, but denied inappropriate behavior. His faculties were removed in 1995 after the woman again contacted the Archdiocese and he admitted to having engaged in ‘inappropriate conduct.’ Discovered in 2014 to be wearing a Roman collar and presented himself as a priest; Archdiocesan officials were to tell him to stop. Accused in 2017 of physically abusing a 6th grade boy in the 1960s. Carney was friends with accused priest Joseph Maskell; one Maskell victim told the A.G. that Carney was present during her abuse. The man physically abused by Carney stated that he was sexually abused by Maskell. Carney died 10/30/2020.


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