Charlotte Priest Father Patrick Hoare Faces Sex Abuse Claims

A Charlotte priest, known for his proactive stance against sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, has been accused of molestation. The alleged incident occurred more than 25 years ago. The incident presumably occurred before Rev. Patrick T. Hoare entered the clergy.

As a result of the accusations, Hoare has been placed on administrative leave. St. Matthew’s Church made its decision on December 9, 2019. St. Matthew’s Church is one of the largest parishes in the United States. According to America: The Jesuit Review, the parish has more than 10,000 registered households.

Bishop Peter Gurgis issued a statement explaining the decision to place Hoare on leave is a standard procedure to investigate the facts of the claim. Hoare denies the allegations. In the statement issued by Jugis, he emphasizes that the decision to place Hoare on administrative leave does not imply guilt.

Adult Victim Names Father Patrick T. Hoare as His Abuser

The Charlotte Diocese has only identified the victim as an adult male. However, Hoare’s brother, David Hoare, outed the alleged victim as a nephew.

Hoare’s brother defended the priest, saying the accusations are “totally false and inaccurate.” He also claims the accuser experiences “extreme mental disabilities.”

Charlotte Dioceses Examines Sexual Abuse Claim

According to the alleged victim, the incident occurred in Pennsylvania decades ago. The accuser reported the incident to the Charlotte Diocese. Bishop Peter Jugis of the Charlotte Diocese said in a statement the alleged incident occurred 25 years ago.

The victim has also been in touch with law enforcement and social services. The diocese is unsure if he is in contact with police from Pennsylvania or North Carolina. The Charlotte Diocese says it will cooperate with the investigation as needed. Hoare is not currently charged with a crime.

Other Charlotte-area Sex Abuse Investigations

On December 30, 2019, the Charlotte Diocese released a list of priests in the diocese accused of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. At the time of its publication, the list presented the names of 14 clergymen accused in the North Carolina Diocese since 1972.

There are 23 additional names on the list. These accused clergy members served in the Charlotte Diocese, but they were not accused during their tenure there. These priests are accused of sexual abuse by other dioceses or religious orders.

Multiple priests in the Diocese of Raleigh have been accused of similar sexual abuse allegations. Learn more about clergy abuse in the state of North Carolina here >

How Victims Can Respond to Sexual Abuse in the Church

There are several steps a survivor of priest abuse can take to seek justice.

• Report the abuse incident to law enforcement personnel. Reporting abuse is not the same as pressing charges or filing a civil lawsuit against an abuser. However, it can help if you, as the victim, choose to take legal action later.
• Seek medical treatment. If you are the victim of a recent sexual assault, seek medical attention immediately. If the abuse occurred in the past, you may not need physical medical attention, but you should consider mental health treatment. Sexual abuse can cause significant mental trauma. Therapy is one healthy way to address this trauma.
• Consider legal action. As a victim, you may be able to win compensation through legal channels. Seeking professional legal advice is a great first step to determine if you have a case and if legal action is a path you wish to pursue.