Father Joseph Krach
Archdiocese of Baltimore
Ordained: 1957
Died: 2013
Assignment History:
- 1957-1961: St. Mary Star of the Sea Church (Baltimore, MD)
- 1961-1966: St. Peter Church (Oakland, MD)
- 1966-1968: St. John’s Church (Severna Park, MD)
- 1968-1974: St. Matthew Church (Baltimore, MD)
- 1974-1975: Church of St. Peter the Apostle (Baltimore, MD)
- 1975-1983: Church Home Hospital (Baltimore, MD)
- In residence, St. Brigid Rectory
- 1983: University Hospital (Baltimore, MD)
- 1983-1990: St. Rose of Lima Church (Baltimore, MD)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Joseph Krach:
Fr. Joseph Krach was ordained a Catholic priest and worked in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. In 2023, Fr. Krach was listed on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors list. 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 Fr. Joseph Krach.
According to the Attorney General’s report, in 1968, two priests that worked with Fr. Krach at St. John’s complained to their bishop about Krach’s behavior with boys. In 1989, the new bishop asked the two priests that expressed their concern in the 60s if they recalled why they were worried about Fr. Krach’s behavior and that Krach had “some problems with altar boys in Oakland” and they had to push Krach off from hugging the boy.
In March 1968, Krach was hospitalized at the Seton Institute. Notes from the doctor said that Krach’s “drive” didn’t seem strong, and the “overt acts” of being overly affectionate with boys didn’t seem of sexual interest. The recommendations were more hospitalization, supervision, and avoiding contact with boys.
On October 3, 1981, Fr. Krach was arrested in Baltimore for soliciting an undercover police officer. Krach did not report this arrest to the archdiocese; instead, they learned of it from “another source.” They encouraged more counseling, close supervision, no altar boys, and no ministry with youth under 18 – restriction. At that time, a young woman called St. Rose Rectory and told Fr. Krach that she knew he was having an affair with her brother and would report it. Krach spoke to an attorney for the archdiocese, but nothing was ever said or done.
In 1990, Fr. Krach was being considered for a transfer until they saw some old memorandums from the 1960s regarding Krach’s “behavior.” The archbishop was unwilling to reassign Krach without a “thorough evaluation” to gauge the risk of having Krach continue in active ministry.
On October 14, 1990, a 32-year-old man reported that Fr. Krach tried to molest the victim in a bar and another time when the victim was intoxicated after his mother’s death. On the second occasion, the victim woke up to Krach naked on top of him. When he told Krach that he would report him, Krach said it didn’t matter because he was already being sent to a hospital in Pennsylvania. When questioned, Krach first said nothing sexual had happened before that night but then said he touched the man, and the man touched him when Krach was putting him to bed in an inebriated state.
During his evaluation, Krach admitted “homosexual / involvement with young men. Krach was placed in residential treatment at the Villa St. John Vianney Hospital on January 10, 1991. In addition to attending this residential treatment program, Krach underwent “cognitive retraining at Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital.” While there, his psychologist wrote that Krach “realizes that ephebophilic behavior is serious and requires a structured, supervised aftercare program.”
In 1992, Fr. Krach still had faculties and was permitted to help the residents with masses at Stella Maris. In 2005, he was recommended not to be returned to full public ministry.
Fr. Krach died in 2013.
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.