Fr. Anthony McGinley – Diocese of Harrisburg

Fr. Anthony McGinley - Diocese of Harrisburg

Ordained: 1945

Removed from ministry: 1982

Retired/Faculties revoked: 1987

Died: 2006

Assigned as follows:

1945-1953 Annunciation BVM (McSherrystown, PA)
1953 Assumption BVM (Lebanon, PA)
1953-1957 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Mount Carmel, PA)
1957-1961 St. Thomas More (Northumberland, PA)
1961-1970 St. Patrick (Carlisle, PA)
1970-1972 Graduate studies - Catholic University
1972-1982 Marymount College
1972 St. Joseph (Mechanicsburg, PA)

Summary of Allegations against Fr. Anthony McGinley:

According to the grand jury report, documents dating to 1953 outline allegations that Fr. Anthony McGinley made "immoral advances" toward three male students at Lebanon Catholic High School. The boys were threatened to keep silent about their allegations given McGinley's status as a priest.

The allegations made by the boys include taking them on overnight trips, plying them with alcohol, and then sleeping in the same bed, where McGinley would touch the boys in a sexual manner. When confronted by the Bishop of Harrisburg with the allegations, McGinley proclaimed his innocence but admitted "there may have been imprudent association with boys and that conduct with them might be construed wrongly." Within days, McGinley was transferred to Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish.

The grand jury also viewed documents confirming that the Diocese of Harrisburg received regular and repeated reports between 1953 and 1982 that McGinley had sexual encounters with "other males," but it is not clear if any of the "other males" were children.

Perhaps fed up with the constant threat of scandal, the Diocese of Harrisburg sent McGinley for inpatient treatment at St. Luke Institute, a notorious treatment center for pedophile priests in Maryland. His faculties were revoked, though he was soon caught working as a priest in the Diocese of Allentown without the Bishop of Harrisburg's permission.

In 2004, a man reported to the Diocese of Harrisburg that he was seuxally abused by McGinley as an 11 year old boy in 1950. He alleged that McGinley fondled his penis and performed oral sex upon him between 6 and 8 times.

In 2008, the Diocese of Harrisburg received a letter from a prison inmate stating that he was molested by McGinley in 1969 at St. Patrick in Carlisle. He was in 5th grade at the time. The man also stated that he reported the incident to Fr. Braubitz, the parish pastor, in the early 1970s, and that Braubitz told him to forget about it because McGinley was "ill" and would never be coming back to St. Patrick.

According to his obituary, McGinley went on to become a college professor at Marymount College (Virginia) and Georgetown University, where he taught psychology and education, after his retirement from the priesthood.

McGinley died in 2006.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Harrisburg and throughout Pennsylvania. The Diocese of Harrisburg filed for federal bankruptcy protection in February 2020. Anyone sexually abused by a priest or employee of the Diocese of Harrisburg may be entitled to file a claim against the Diocese in these bankruptcy proceedings, but very strict filing deadlines apply. Most victims of abuse in the Diocese of Harrisburg will never be able to take action against the Diocese of Harrisburg if they miss this bankruptcy filing deadline, so it is important that you contact us immediately to discuss your potential case.

Fr. Anthony McGinley – Diocese of Harrisburg