Kenney, Joseph (Fr.)

Father Joseph Kenney was ordained on June 8, 1943. Between 1985 and 2019, multiple survivors reported being sexually abused by Kenney, when he was the priest assigned to the Shrine of the Little Flower in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The victims described incidents of touching, fondling, and inappropriate kissing that occurred when they were children. Despite some reports being acknowledged by the Archdiocese, it appears that no action was taken, and Kenney continued as a priest until his retirement in 1987. The matter was not reported to law enforcement until 2018, prompting inquiries from victims about Kenney’s lack of inclusion on the Archdiocese’s list of credibly accused individuals. In September 2001, another survivor reported to the Maryland Office of the Attorney General that she was abused in the late 1940s and early 1950s, starting when she was approximately four or five years old. Kenney died on January 16, 2001.