They quickly decided there was. According to diocesan spokesman William Blaul, investigators talked with dozens of other Keough students and came away empty-handed. Jean Wehner, who told police in '94 that priest had shown her Sr. Cesnik's body, plays central role in new series. Since childhood, Anthony Joseph Maskell seemed destined for the priesthood. Since The Keepers release, more than 40,000 people have signed a petition asking the Archdiocese to release documents regarding Maskells alleged abuse. There were other Keough teachers whod abused her as well, Jennifer said, as had two of the nuns, including a high-ranking administrator of the school, who was with Father Maskel, and they were using the vibrator, and she went down on me.. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. After continued allegations, he was removed from priestly ministry in Baltimore in 1994. WebA woman received acknowledgment of crimes and financial assistance for counseling from the archdiocese in 11/2016 due to her claims of rape by Magnus and another priest, Rev. But it was an episode Jennifer says she recalled in January 1993 that alerted Baltimore County police. Born in 1939 and raised in Northeast Baltimore near Clifton Park, his favorite childhood game was Mass. In child-sized vestments his mother had sewn for him, Joe would gather neighborhood children into the familys basement, where he would dispense the body of Christ in the form of white Necco wafers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Baltimore Magazine. Surprisingly, however, it was Maskells name under a nearby photo that caused in her an ugly stir., In the following months, Jennifer waded into a stream of increasingly chilling convictions. The crisis contains disturbing truths about the power of human denial. FROSH: You have to look back to the culture in the 1960s and '70s, which really didn't encourage these folks to come forward. Some St. Augustine parishioners, tipped off about Maskells circumstances, protested his arrival. He prostituted me. Jennifer says that in the spring of 1969, her sophomore year at Keough, she talked with Sister Catherine Cesnik, a popular young English teacher, who asked how Jennifer liked Keough. Sadly, the long-term damage to religious faith remains the cruelest irony of abuse by priests. ", Rolling Stone reports that Magnus was the Director of Religious Studies at Keough Catholic High School throughout the late '60s and '70s. As she tried to figure out what the object might have been, her breathing became heavy and panicked. But what about Marylands three year statute of limitations for civil complaints? This intervention, the victims and Netflix series allege, may have led to her death and a massive cover-up of the crime. One occasion he just spanked me., OK. The priest then massaged her breasts and asked if her boyfriend touched her similarly, she claims. Try again later. Allegedly, the preist then opened a vial of holy water and sprinkled some on her vagina, reciting a blessing in Latin. The Keepers theorized that Cesnik may have discovered Maskells assaults and been killed to prevent that information from getting out. He told me my problem was that I was frigid, she claims. But he never did., When young Joe was old enough to join in sandlot baseball games, he would dress in black and take his position of choice behind the plate, calling the balls and strikes. I suspected as much., Jennifer says Cesnik hugged her and told her to enjoy the summer; the nun would take care of everything. Search above to list available cemeteries. Body of Baltimore priest exhumed in 50-year-old murder Because sexual deeds outside of marital intercourse (and even impure thoughts, in some cases) are met by damnation unless confessed, the priest becomes the repository of a tremendous number of sexual secrets. CNN reported in 2017 that police had the okay to exhume his body for DNA testing, but even then, the DNA wasn't a match with what was found at the crime scene. Sean Caine, Vice Chancellor at the Archdiocese of Baltimore, confirmed the church has been in communication with Mroz's lawyers regarding her alleged assault, but also said they have not engaged in mediation. It wasnt a relief that others were harmed, but I feel like it was comforting that I do have other people that I could talk to for support who could understand what I experienced too," Mroz said. They often started out talking about sports, but invariably wound to the subject of male anatomy, alleges Bill. Overhearing this, 38-year old Eva Nelson Cruz felt rage, and she snapped back: Dont be surprised if someone right here at the table had a problem.. What Happened To Father Neil Magnus? 'The Keepers' Priest Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. The Archdiocese of Baltimore acknowledged the allegations against Maskell in a statement to Bustle: It is important to note that none of the accusations were brought to light before Magnus died. Allegations of Maskells sexual abuse began to surface in 1992. WebFather Maskell, who died at age 62 on May 7, 2001, reportedly served as a military chaplain at Fort Meade for several years. Brian Frosh, the former Maryland attorney general who oversaw the grand jury investigation, says some people who have been allegedly abused lived with fear, guilt and anxiety. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. In total, the church has paid out $472,000 in settlements to 16 of Maskells alleged victims, according to the Baltimore Sun. And he gave me final absolution, she said. Magnus was the Director of Religious Studies. 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. One of the central players in the Netflix story is Father Joseph Maskell. He said he could hypnotize me and help me.. According to a lawyer representing Mroz and according to the Keepers, the total number of Maskell victims could be more than 40. And please note there are details of sexual violence at moments over the next 3 1/2 minutes, and it may be unsuitable for some listeners. Bingo, replied Wallace. ' According to Karen, the priest had specific questions about her boyfriends anatomy. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! SCOTT MAUCIONE, BYLINE: Jean Hargedon Wehner was just a teenager when Father Joseph Maskell allegedly abused her at a Baltimore high school in the 1960s. After a four-year grand jury investigation, a judge will soon release details of what children and young adults endured over the past 80 years. They gave the Church one month to come up with a serious monetary offer, or they would file the civil suit. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. She remembered pain and bleeding. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Maskell chaplained for the Baltimore County Police, the Maryland State Police and the Maryland National Guard. Described as a "burly, charismatic priest," he was 30 years old at the time of Cesnik's death and in the years since has been accused of sexually abusing dozens of his students over the course of years during that timeframe. His sister Maureen says hes simply up north., Wherever he is, Maskell feels tremendously isolated, reports his longtime friend Rev. Maskell looked to the archbishop. Try again later. One of the Churchs most controversial codes, clerical celibacy has long been a time-honored tradition, but its hardly a founding doctrine. Maskell was born in Baltimore, but his family was from Ireland, said Baltimore archdiocese spokesman Sean Caine. Teresa Lancaster, who was featured in "The Keepers" as an abuse survivor, said Maskell spoke about Ireland when he was working at Archbishop Keough. Maskell had insisted that in order for her to be completely cleansed of the incestuous sins with her grandfather, it was necessary for her to disrobe, she says. But neither mental health professional who testified for the plaintiffs was an expert in memory. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. I said, No, not that I can think of. I didnt know what he was getting at, says Stacy. Sorry! He sat on his desk, perched above her. ("Gerry")] Koob [an ex-boyfriend of Cesnik's, initially a person of interest in the crime]. For one thing, her therapist had cautioned her against it. Meanwhile, doctors at the Connecticut psychiatric facility, the Institute of Living, conducted a nearly six-month course of evaluation, after which the archdiocese determined Maskell was able to return to ministry, says Blaul. Says another: He helped me to put my life back together. According to the Baltimore Sun, Maskell denied the accusations until his death in 2001. Within a week of receiving the lawyers anonymous ad in the fall of 1993, Tracy wrote to them, and got a letter in return explaining that the attorneys were seeking corroboration of alleged sexual abuse at Keough. At one point in episode four of the documentary, Teresa Lancaster -- who in 1994 sued Dr. Richter, Father Maskell and the Archdiocese under the name "Jane Since then, general interest in the case has increased. For NPR News, I'm Scott Maucione in Baltimore. The Nazi doctors killed, but, by their lights, did not murder. Robert G. Hawkins, until recently pastor of St. Ritas in Dundalk. Update 12/4/17: The source known as Jennifer in this story is Jean Hargadon Wehner, featured in the Netflix documentary The Keepers. After giving graphic details of her alleged abuse, she was pressed for the names of witnesses or other victims. In an earlier era, a concerned archbishop might have taken the accused priest aside, chastised him and transferred him discreetly to another diocese. Tired and distressed by what theyd witnessed at the crash, Shaffer and Maskell left the scene around 11 p.m. Shaffer, a Protestant, went home to his wife of 36 years. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. The Keepers is a documentary that explores the circumstances surrounding the unsolved murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik, a well-loved nun who taught at Baltimore's Archbishop Keough High School in the 1960s.In their quest for answers, the series also blows the doors off of the rampant sexual abuse by Father A. Joseph Maskell and the Efforts by Baltimore magazine to speak with Woy and the other church administrators have all been referred to diocesan spokesman Blaul, who generally refrains from comment in matters of ongoing litigation. He said that I wouldnt have gotten into Keough unless hed pulled strings. And does the priesthoods celibate nature attract men who are earnestly fleeing their urges, only to leave them ill equipped in moments of temptation? Friends from his teen years cant recall Maskell ever expressing a libido. Failed to report flower. JEAN HARGEDON WEHNER: He would put a gun to my temple. WebOne name stands out among the rest in the Maryland Attorney Generals report on child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He let me cry on his shoulder.. The church has also paid an additional $97,000 in counseling services. He denied ever abusing anybody, and, according to a family member, even offered to take a lie detector test. After the meeting, Cruz asked Wallace to linger an extra moment. I was kind of frightened. She is now taking steps toward reaching a resolution with the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and, she hopes, peace with the questions that remain. DAVID LORENZ: It is a growing body of evidence for a national scourge. Perhaps the show of force would prompt a confession. Outside on the courthouse steps, Maskells lawyer and friend J. Michael Lehane said the ruling clearly vindicated his client. Meanwhile, city police are still puzzled over why Maskell ordered the graveyard burial of a small mountain of psychological tests and other documents hed compiled during years of pastoral counseling. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Father Richard Woy and attorney Thomas Dame represented the archdiocese. That woman was dying and Joe knew it.. I told her I had a hard time with my studies and didnt like Keough a lot, Jennifer says. And for good measure, the attorneys tipped off a Sun reporter about the probe, hoping publicity would scare up witnesses. He took his big pocket watch out. Maskells mother learned something was wrong only after receiving phone calls asking the whereabouts of her son. The church administrator appeared unsure how to best respond; nonetheless, he told her to contact him if she remembered anything else. BRIAN FROSH: What we heard from survivors was that the abuse changed their lives. As a Catholic, however, Maskell had long ago forsaken any such comfort. But he faced the multi-million-dollar civil suit filed in city circuit court. And he said, if your father ever finds out you've been whoring around, he'll do this, but he'll keep bullets in it. In 2001, Maskell died from the effects of a stroke at St. Josephs Hospital, according to Inside Baltimore. He was 62. 4. Baltimore County Police Announced This Week That Maskells DNA Does Not Match Evidence From the Crime Scene Ultimately, Maskell died in 2001, having never been charged for a thing. Suggestions of a cover-up by the archdiocese are speculative and false.. Member station WYPR's Scott Maucione has our report. And a third alleged rape victim, the first willing to be publicly named, has stepped forward to share her story with Baltimore. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Police: Exhuming Priest's Body For DNA 'Absolutely Something The Keepers highlights components of the culture surrounding the church and practicing families that may have contributed to a continuation of the abuse. Now a 38-year-old mother of two, the Baltimore woman had only recently remembered these alleged abuses, and contacted the archdiocese in late June in search of an apology and some spiritual help. He also slapped me about the face, and he showed me his gun.. Accuracy and availability may vary. WMAR If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Fr. A retired Catholic priest, Sipe is the author of A Secret World: Sexuality and the Search for Celibacy and the just-published Sex, Priests and Power. Yeah, her daughter said numbly as she drove. Please reset your password. Maskell, who died in 2001, always denied the allegations against him. Maskell served at Sacred Heart of Mary (Baltimore) from 1965 to 1966, at St. Clement (Lansdowne) from 1966 to During the year after her first meeting with Father Woy and diocesan attorney Dame, Eva Nelson Cruz says she avoided media accounts of the Maskell case because she didnt want to contaminate her own memory. He has been accused of molesting dozens of students during that time, and as WJZ investigations have revealed, some of his alleged victims think the abuse relates to the 1969 murder of a nun who also worked at the school, Sister Cathy Cesnik. Netflix's newest original docuseries, The Keepers, focuses on the brutal and mysterious murder of a young nun who taught at a Catholic high school in Baltimore. He used to say with a smile, Were sacristans. At home, Bill told his mother (since deceased) that Maskell had threatened him. From figures in a report commissioned by the Archdiocese of Chicago, priest-sociologist Andrew Greeley also estimates the current national figure of child-molesting priests at between 2,000 and 4,000, with each one of them likely to victimize an estimated 50 minors over the course of a career. All rights reserved. But that he would make it so that God would love me again through him. It would have been helpful.. She recalled that he had encouraged the children of St. Clement to come to him with their deepest problems, and that shed given him her first confession, around age 10. Over the next few days, Eva Cruz became consumed with the sound of water slapping against the hull of a boat and the idea that something had happened between her and Maskell. Being dropped off at the St. Clement rectory. The other was a chummy confidant who developed a following among some of the girls by offering his office as a smoking lounge in a school where smoking was grounds for suspension. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. If one more person says something to me that came from you, Im gonna make sure you dont graduate.. It had been Dantes, after all, whod brought Jennifer to The Sun in the first place. Unlike Jennifer, whom she claims never to have met, Tracy says she has always remembered some of her encounters with Maskell but that certain graver abuses she recalled only recently. This account has been disabled. Another dead end, apparently. Death. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. A crucifix, she announced. But narcissists dont grow out of it and can become a law unto themselves, he says. Six survivors described being systematically molested, drugged, and raped within school walls by multiple members of the clergy in Netflixs docu-series The Keepers, but additional victims have come forward since its release. This first week in May, Caplan was holding a preliminary hearing to consider whether so-called recovered memories constituted justifiable exception to the states three-year statute of limitations in civil suits. But, what happened to Father Neil Magnus? I always wondered if he was going to revolt at some point, Heim says. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Could these new allegations possibly be true? Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. The Subject Of Netflix's 'The Nurse' Denies Her Attempted Murder Convictions, Allan Gore Reportedly Lives A Quiet Life Decades After The Events Of 'Love & Death', The True Story Of Candy Montgomery From HBO Max's True Crime Series, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. She claims that one day during ninth grade, Maskell summoned her to his office to mention that her reading aptitude was below par. Beverly Wallace frowned openly. It was chilling, Mroz told Oxygen.com, recounting her allegations that she was one of the victims of school counselor and chaplain Father A. Joseph Maskell, but not to the extent of some of the other students.