A Benedictine monk, Father Paschal Morlino, has been suspended from ministry after the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore discovered a payment he made several years ago to settle sexual harassment allegations. The news of his suspension broke last week when reporters from The Baltimore Banner inquired about the settlement. The archdiocese immediately launched an internal investigation and decided to dismiss Morlino from his position as pastor of St. Benedict Church in southwest Baltimore, where he had served for nearly four decades.
Father Morlino, 85, has returned to Saint Vincent Archabbey in Pennsylvania, the oldest Benedictine monastery in the country, after both the Baltimore archdiocese and the Order of Saint Benedict jointly agreed to suspend his priestly faculties. The investigation is still ongoing, and the archdiocese will appoint a new administrator to oversee Saint Benedict Church, which is owned and operated by the Benedictines.
Details about the 2018 complaint against Morlino were not disclosed, with church officials only stating that it involved “alleged sexual harassment of an adult man” who had already passed away before the complaint was filed. The archdiocese was unable to corroborate the third-party allegations. In an interview with The Banner, Morlino confirmed the $200,000 settlement payment but denied any wrongdoing, claiming he wanted to keep the complainant quiet as the person was causing trouble. The attorney who represented the man did not provide an immediate comment.
Father Morlino had been leading efforts to revitalize St. Benedict Church since his arrival in 1984, during a time of declining church membership. He worked to update and improve the church buildings and strengthen the parish’s mission. Prior to his tenure in Baltimore, Morlino founded Adelphoi Village, a nonprofit child care agency assisting at-risk youth in Pennsylvania.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore’s decision to suspend Father Morlino reflects its commitment to addressing allegations of misconduct within its clergy. The ongoing investigation will shed more light on the matter and determine any further actions that need to be taken.
