Woman Sues Oblates for Rape at Age 10
A new lawsuit has been filed under the Maryland Child Victim’s Act of 2023 against the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. The case was filed in Delaware Superior Court as the Oblates’ local province is headquartered in Wilmington. 74-year-old Joyce Harper sued the Oblates, under the Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023 for alleged rape in the Eastern Shore of Maryland when she was 10 years old. The lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges that Oblate priest George Mahoney, who has since died, sexually abused her and another girl. According to the Neuberger Firm, from 1956 to 1969, Mahoney was the pastor, assigned by the Oblates to Mary Our Mother of Sorrows and St. Peter the Apostle Churches in Centerville and Queenstown. Also, according to the Firm, a list of 12 known pedophile priests was admitted by the
Oblates at that time and Mahoney is not on that list.
Additional Information from the Neuberger Firm:
As often happens in such cases, plaintiff then was threatened and told never to tell
anyone what happened because, in his words, “If you tell anyone about this you will go to
HELL.” That fear lasted through high school and then in her early 20s Joyce reported Mahoney
to Diocese of Wilmington priest Edward Carley, a notorious pedophile, who then covered up her
accusations.
Under the Delaware Child Victims Act of 2007 the Oblates were sued at least 41 times
by victims of their predator priests. A list of 12 known pedophile priests was admitted by the
Oblates at that time and Mahoney is not on that list.
