Father Louis John Affrica
Archdiocese of Baltimore
Ordained: 1975
Leave: 1981
Assignment History:
- 1966-1970: Monsignor Coyle High School (Taunton, MA)
- 1970-1973: Bishop McNamara High School (Forestville, MD)
- 1973-1974: St. Michael-Overlea (Baltimore, MD)
- 1975-1976: Our Lady of Victory (Baltimore, MD)
- 1976: Holy Trinity (Glen Burnie, MD)
- 1977: St. Michael-Overlea (Baltimore, MD)
- 1977-1980: St. Ann (Hagerstown, MD)
- 1981: Leave of Absence
Summary of Abuse Allegations Against Father Louis John Affrica
Father Louis John Affrica was a teacher and a Catholic priest who worked in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. In April 2023, Maryland’s Attorney General released a report alleging 156 Catholic clergy members sexually abused at least 600 children over six decades. The report lists the names of the abusers, including Father Affrica.
According to the report, allegations against Affrica did not surface until after he had left the ministry. In 2005, a man came forward to report sexual abuse at the hands of Father Affrica from 1973 to 1976, when the boy was 15 years old. The victim reported that Affrica orally raped him and fondled him. He said that Affrica put together a youth group and that teenage boys from the parish and Washington, DC, routinely spent the weekend with Affrica at the rectory. On at least one occasion, Affrica asked the victim to bring marijuana to the rectory, and he routinely drank alcohol and smoked marijuana with the victim. On at least one occasion, Affrica took a group of teens, including the victim, on a weekend retreat that involved the consumption of alcohol. When the victim was about 16 years old, Affrica told the victim to show him his penis, and Affrica then fondled the victim until the victim stopped him. On another occasion, after Affrica had moved to the St. Ann parish in Hagerstown, the victim (who was 18 years old) stayed overnight with Affrica at the rectory; the victim was intoxicated, and Affrica had oral and anal sex with him.
In 2007, a woman came forward to report being sexually abused by Affrica in the late 1970s when she was 15 or 16. Affrica was assigned to St. Ann’s parish in Hagerstown, and the victim reported that many young kids hung out in the rectory and drank alcohol. Affrica introduced her to whiskey and orally raped her in the rectory. She said she told a priest in confession, and he told her to report the abuse.
Affrica took a leave of absence in 1981 and married. He never returned to priestly ministry. The Archdiocese of Baltimore made mandatory reports regarding the abuse of both victims to authorities, as required by law. The Archdiocese did not conduct its own investigation of either report, stating that by the time the reports were made in 2005 and 2007, Affrica had left the ministry, and his faculties had been “automatically suspended” when he civilly married in the 1980s.
In an April 15, 2016 letter, Affrica, who had since become a licensed clinical social worker, petitioned Archbishop Lori for laicization. In that letter, he said he regretted “any confusion to the faithful my actions may have caused around the time of my departure.” In 2016, the archdiocese requested Affrica’s laicization.
Affrica was quietly listed as credibly accused by the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2023 after the Attorney General’s report.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Maryland. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Maryland, contact our office today. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse nationwide. We can help. Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.