Fr. Joseph A. Kenney

Named publicly as accused by the archdiocese on its list 12/14/2018. Accused in 2002 by two people of abuse in the late 1940s – early 1950s. Died in 2001. The Archdiocese stated it realized in 2018 that it knew in 1985 of allegations of abuse in the early 1950s. Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General’s Report. It shows that the 1985 allegation was of a girl, ages 4-8, and that the victim knew that others were also abused. Kenney was kept in ministry and retired in 1987. The 2002 allegations were of abuse a girl, age 12 or 13, in the late 1940s, and of a 14-year-old girl in 1952-1953. In 2019 a man, who was related to Kenney, reported that the priest abused his sister and cousin as children in the 1960s, and another man said Kenney sexually abused him at age 5 in the 1960s. In 2021 a woman told the A.G. that Kenney abused her when she was age 4-5 in the late 1940s – early 1950s, and that it went on into her teenage years. She said he also abused her cousin.