Fr. Ross A. LaPorta

LaPorta was named on the 9/25/2002 Baltimore Archdiocese list as having been credibly accused by one person in 1999 of sexual abuse in the 1960s. Faculties removed. He denied abuse. The list shows LaPorta had recently retired when the allegation was made. The 1999 Official Catholic Directory is first that reports him as retired and also lists him as monsignor. Later Directories show him retired in Little River SC, not a monsignor, and pastor emeritus at St. Mark’s in Catonsville; five other priests who worked there are also accused. Still in SC in 2007; not in the 2009 Directory. Died 2/8/2015. Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General’s Report. The 1999 allegation was of abuse in about 1960-1968 of a boy, ages 6 or 8 until about 16. The victim’s brother may also have been abused. Faculties were removed in 12/1999. They were reinstated in 2001 so that he could celebrate Mass for his 50th seminary reunion. Accused in 3/2003 of sexually abusing a girl, age 12 and in 6th grade, in 1966 at St. Charles in Pikesville. His accuser said a nun who was her teacher asked her to answer the rectory telephones one day after school. She said that she was on the bed in the rectory with her underwear down with LaPorta touching her vagina, and that the nun was watching from the doorway. In 2013 the Archdiocese received a report that Laporta sexually abused and raped a boy in the early 1970s. The boy, who was training to be an altar server, was introduced to LaPorta by Fr. George Loskarn, who had been abusing the boy. The victim received a settlement of $75K in 2014.