Father Joseph V. Agostino
Ordained: 1983
Removed: 2009
Assigned as follows:
- 1983-1988: St. John the Baptist (Brooklyn, NY)
- 1988-1989: Immaculate Conception (Baltimore, MD)
- 1989-2009: St. John the Baptist (Brooklyn, NY)
- 2009-2011: DePaul Novitiate (Philadephia, PA)
- 2011-2016: Congregation of the Mission (Philadephia, PA)
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father Joseph V Agostino:
Fr. Joseph V Agostino was ordained for the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) in 1983. He served at St. John the Baptist in Brooklyn, New York for 25 years excluding one year in the late 1980s, when he was at Immaculate Conception parish in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the pastor of St. John the Baptist from 2000 until 2009.
According to media reports, in 2003 a man alleged that he had been sexually abused by Agostino. After an investigation, both the Vincentians and the diocese determined there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the man's claims. Agostino remained in ministry.
Six years later, in April 2009, the same man contacted the diocese, this time with more evidence and proof that he was a minor at the time of the abuse. Agostino denied the allegations. The Diocese of Brooklyn told the County DA, and the Vincentian Order removed Agostino from ministry at St. John the Baptist pending further 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".
It is believed Agostino currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Agostino's status as a priest and whether he has access to children are unknown.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Brooklyn. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Brooklyn, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Brooklyn now have legal options to recover damages due to a compensation fund created for victims. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an email to adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.