Fr. Joseph J. Kruse
Name included on Baltimore’s 9/2002 list of abusive priests. Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General’s Report. It shows that in 9/1987 Kruse confessed to a diocesan official that he had sexually assaulted two teenage boys, one who had recently turned 18 whom he violated the previous night, the other at age 16 in 1985. Kruse had known the 18-year-old since he was 12. The boy’s mother went to someone whose name is redacted in the report about the abuse and was told, “Who are you to judge?” and said he would pray for her. This person did not report the abuse to his superiors. There were also “incidents” with hitchhikers he had picked up, some minors. Kruse was sent to Institute of Living in CT for treatment 10/1987-1/1988. Allowed hospital ministry in Hartford while in residence at a parish rectory. In 6/1988 Baltimore Archbishop Borders assigned Kruse to a hospital chaplaincy in the archdiocese with a parish residency, restricted from youth ministry except for Penance. Suit filed in 1988 by the 18-year-old victim; settled for $2,899.50. Kruse voluntarily left ministry in 1989. In 2012 he requested of Archbishop Lori a return to ministry; denied. He was laicized in 2017.
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