Davies, Joseph (Fr.)

Father Joseph Davies was ordained on June 8, 1943, and was assigned to St. Katherine’s and St. Joseph’s parishes during his career. He also concurrently served as a chaplain at Calvert Hall, the Boy Scouts, and in the prison system for several decades. In the 1950s and 1960s, he sexually abused at least eight boys who were either students at Calvert Hall College or connected to St. Katherine’s and St. Joseph’s parishes.

Despite being praised publicly by the Archdiocese and elevated to the rank of Monsignor, serious concerns arose about his financial conduct at St. Joseph’s, leading to his resignation in 1990. After his death in 1993, reports of sexual abuse emerged. Several survivors came forward, describing rape, fondling, and coercion incidents during their childhood and adolescence. The Archdiocese Independent Child Abuse Review Board discussed Davies, but all notes related to those discussions were redacted. Reports of sexual abuse by Davies spanned several decades and involved several victims from different institutions he was associated with.