The Archdiocese of Baltimore has suspended Marianist Brother Thomas Trager from ministry pending the outcome of lawsuit and any investigation by civil authorities or the Marianists. Read the archdiocese’s full May 7 statement below:
The Archdiocese of Baltimore announced today that a lawsuit was filed last month in New York state court alleging that Brother Thomas Trager, S.M. had engaged in sexual abuse of a minor in about 2009 in New York. Brother Trager was separately accused of abuse in New York in 2010 and, after investigation, civil authorities ruled the accusation was unfounded and the charge was dismissed. Brother Trager, 82, is a member of the Marianist Province of the United States, and resided in the Archdiocese of Baltimore since about 2013, including at St. Joseph’s Monastery in Baltimore City until very recently.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore has suspended Brother Trager from performing ministry in the Archdiocese pending the outcome of the lawsuit and any investigation by civil authorities or the Marianists. While living in Baltimore, Brother Trager volunteered at Viva House, My Brother’s Keeper, Esperanza Center, Project Plase and Mother Seton Academy.
We are committed to protecting children and helping to heal victims of abuse. We urge anyone who has any knowledge of any child sexual abuse to come forward, and to report it immediately to law enforcement. If clergy or other church personnel of the Archdiocese of Baltimore is suspected of committing the abuse, we ask that you also call the Archdiocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection Victims’ Assistance Hotline at 1-866-417-7469.
Further, The Marianists take any accusations of abuse seriously and have specific, detailed child protection policies in place, which can be found at Marianist.com/healing. The Marianists encourage any survivors of sexual abuse by a Marianist to report it to civil authorities and/or the Pastoral Assistance Coordinator at: pastoralassistancecoordinator@sm-usa.org or 314-285-2322.
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