• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Bishop Robert Barron
          • George Weigel
          • Question Corner
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Suzanna Molino Singleton
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Paul McMullen
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Father T. Austin Murphy Jr.
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • Subscribe

Former Mount St. Joseph teacher accused of abuse

George P. Matysek Jr. August 23, 2018
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Local News, News

Xaverian Brother Robert Flaherty, a former teacher at Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore, has been removed from ministry by his religious community following an allegation that he sexually abused a minor in the mid-1980s.

According to an Aug. 21 statement by Xaverian Brother Edward Driscoll, superior general of the Xaverian Brothers, the Baltimore City police informed the religious community of the allegation.

“The Xaverian Brothers have been cooperating with the State’s Attorney’s Office in their investigation,” Brother Edward said. “With the permission of the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Brothers have implemented their protocols regarding the allegation of abuse of a minor and removed Brother Flaherty from ministry pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Brother Robert joined the Xaverian Brothers in 1979 and made his profession of vows in 1980. He taught at Mount St. Joseph from 1980 to 1993 and from 2008 to 2010. He also taught at St. Xavier High School in Kentucky, from 1994 to 1999, and at St. John’s Preparatory School in Massachusetts from 1999 to 2007 and from 2010 until his suspension last week, according to the Xaverian Brothers.

According to a letter to his school community sent by George E. Andrews Jr., president of Mount St. Joseph, the allegation of abuse does not involve a current or former student of the school.

Sean Caine, communications director for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said in a written statement that the archdiocese reviewed its files when it learned of the announcement from the school. It found no information or prior allegations against Brother Robert, he said.

“It is typically the case that we see an increase in the reporting of allegations of abuse whenever there are high-profile cases in the news,” Caine said. “This is one of the reasons we try to be very public whenever we receive a credible allegation of abuse, so that victims will be encouraged to come forward. We ask anyone with information about abuse to report it to the police and if it involves a representative of the church we ask that they also report it to the archdiocese.”

Brother Robert graduated from Mount St. Joseph in 1964. An athletic coach for four sports at the school, he was inducted into Mount St. Joseph’s athletic hall of fame in 2013. He is credited with reviving the ice hockey program, according to a 2013 report in the Catholic Review.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

George P. Matysek Jr.

George Matysek was named digital editor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2017 following two decades at the Catholic Review, where he began as a writer and then served as senior correspondent, assistant managing editor and web editor.

In his current role, he manages archbalt.org and CatholicReview.org and is a host of Catholic Review Radio.

George has won more than 70 national and regional journalism and broadcasting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, the Catholic Press Association, the Associated Church Press and National Right to Life. He has reported from Guyana, Guatemala, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

A native Baltimorean, George is a proud graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Essex. He holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore and a master's degree from UMBC.

George, his wife and five children live in Rodgers Forge, where they are parishioners of St. Pius X, Rodgers Forge/St. Mary of the Assumption, Govans.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

Pasadena parish cites pandemic in decision to close preschool

Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83

‘Blessing bags’ a focal point for merged St. Casimir Parish during pandemic

Young Mother Lange honoree keeps busy helping others

RADIO INTERVIEW: What parents need to know about human trafficking

Latest World News

Cardinal prays on CNN program marking 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in U.S.

Not your grandfather’s — or father’s — Superman

Passionist priest, relative of English princes, takes step closer to sainthood

Pope, Holocaust survivor talk about the importance of remembering

Cardinals Sarah, Comastri retire from Vatican posts

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Cardinal prays on CNN program marking 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in U.S.
  • Pasadena parish cites pandemic in decision to close preschool
  • Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83
  • Not your grandfather’s — or father’s — Superman
  • ‘Blessing bags’ a focal point for merged St. Casimir Parish during pandemic
  • Young Mother Lange honoree keeps busy helping others
  • RADIO INTERVIEW: What parents need to know about human trafficking
  • Passionist priest, relative of English princes, takes step closer to sainthood
  • ‘Giving Tuesday’ to put focus on digital donations for Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries
  • Pope, Holocaust survivor talk about the importance of remembering

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2021 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED