Assignment History– Rev. Joseph Vincent Agostino, C.M.

Summary of Case: Joseph V. Agostino was ordained for the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) in 1983. With the exception of a year in the late 1980s at Immaculate Conception parish in Baltimore, Agostino spent two and a half decades at St. John the Baptist in Brooklyn. He was named pastor in 2000, a role he held until 2009.

In 2003 a man came forward to allege that he had been sexually abused by Agostino. The Vincentians and the diocese investigated, both determining that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the man's claims. Agostino remained in ministry. In April 2009 the same man contacted the diocese, this time providing more detailed information about the alleged abuse, including that it occurred when he was a minor. Agostino was suspended pending the outcome of a new investigation. In September 2009 he was transferred to the Vincentians' Eastern Province headquarters where, according to a bio on his order's website in December 2017, "Fr. Joe has been assigned to various projects by the Superior General of the Congregation."

Ordained: 1983

1983

Diocese of Brooklyn

Bishop was Francis John Mugavero (1968-1990).

The Directories show two school affiliated with the parish 1983-1986: Our Lady of Bedford Stuyvesant and the New Bedford Stuyvesant J.H.S. For 1986-1988 the Directories show only that there was a school at 82 Lewis Ave.

1988

Archdiocese of Baltimore

Archbishop was William Donald Borders (1974-1989).

1989

Diocese of Brooklyn

Thomas Vose Daily replaced Mugavero as bishop (1990-2003), followed by Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio (2003-).

Brooklyn

• In 2003 a man came forward with allegations that Agostino had sexually abused him. The Vincentians investigated and determined that there was not sufficient evidence to support the man's claims. Bishop Daily met with the man and came to the same conclusion as the order. In April 2009, the same man presented new details and clarified that he was a minor at the time of the alleged abuse. There was a new investigation and Agostino was placed on leave. He denied the allegations.

2009

Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Archbishop was Justin Francis Rigali (2003-2011), who was succeeded by Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (2011-).

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Source: Official Catholic Directory (Kenedy & Sons, 1984-2016).

• Statement from the Congregation of the Mission and the Diocese of Brooklyn, May 15, 2009
• Bedford-Stuyvesant Pastor Removed Over Allegation of Sexual Abuse, The Table, May 16, 2009
• Agostino bio , Vincent DePaul Center website, accessed December 4, 2017



Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Agostino's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with the allegations against him, as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegations we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on December 4, 2017.