Father Thomas W. Smith
Ordained: 1950
Died: 1993
Assignment History
- 1950-1952: St. Jane Frances De Chantal (Riviera Beach, MD)
- 1952-1970: St. Michael (Overlea, MD)
- 1970-1973: Most Precious Blood (Baltimore, MD)
- 1973-1993: St. Stephen's (Bradshaw, MD)
Summary of Abuse Allegations Against Father Thomas W. Smith
Father Thomas W. Smith was a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Maryland. In 2002, Fr. Smith 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 Father Thomas W. Smith. According to the Attorney General's report, as of 2023, more than 40 victims have reported that they were sexually abused by Fr. Smith during his tenure with the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Fr. Smith sexually abused the victims between 1950 and 1990, most of which were between 6 and 16 years old.
According to the Attorney General's report, in 1988, an individual alleged sexual abuse by Father Thomas Smith in the early 1960s. Smith admitted to sexual misconduct with numerous minors in the 1960s. Fr. Smith received counseling, during which he revealed that he sexually abused two young boys in a swimming pool in 1963 or 1964. Fr. Smith was not removed from ministry, nor were his faculties removed. Following the psychiatric evaluation, Smith was permitted to continue in ministry but prohibited from working with children.
In 1993 a family reported that their son had been sexually abused by Fr. Smith repeatedly in 1980 when the victim was in eighth grade. Fr. Smith and the victim were both attending an Archdiocesan-sponsored retreat at Rocky Point Beach. The victim was playing in the water, where Fr. Smith sexually abused him. On another occasion, the victim and Fr. Smith were in a pool at a Quality Inn in Ocean City, where Fr. Smith again sexually abused the victim. When confronted with the new allegation and his removal from the pastorate at St. Stephen Parish, Smith denied the allegations and then committed suicide. After Fr. Smith's death, multiple victims came forward.
According to Archdiocesan records, another victim came forward in 1993, stating they had been sexually abused by Fr. Smith between 1968 and 1970 when in the 7th and 8th grades. Fr. Smith would take groups of boys on trips to Porter's Beach, Ocean City, and Atlantic City, where Fr. Smith sexually abused the victim.
In 1993, a woman reported that her nephew had been sexually abused by Fr. Smith while he was assigned to St. Michael's in Overlea, according to the report. Also, in 1993, a victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith between 1986 and 1988, when the victim was approximately 15 years old. Fr. Smith brought the victim to the rectory at St. Stephen's in Bradshaw, where he sexually abused the victim over the course of 2 years, according to the report.
In 1993, a former parishioner of St. Michael's in Overlea reported that Fr. Smith had brought him on a trip to Ocean City when he was 12 years old, where Fr. Smith sexually abused the victim. The abuse occurred in approximately 1961, according to Archdiocesan records.
In 1993, a woman reported that her son was sexually abused by Fr. Smith during a trip guided by Fr. Smith in 1975, according to Archdiocesan records.
In 1994, a man reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith along with 4 to 5 other boys. The abuse began in 1973, when the victim was in eighth grade, and continued for 2-3 years. Fr. Smith brought the group of boys on trips to Ocean City, Porter's Beach, and Atlantic City, where Fr. Smith would abuse the victim as well as the other victims. While driving in the car, Fr. Smith would encourage the victim to sit in the front seat, where Fr. Smith sexually abused him.
In 1993, a victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith in the 1960s when he was in 7th or 8th grade. The victim attended St. Michael's in Overlea, where he met Fr. Smith. Fr. Smith took the victim to Miami Beach Park in Baltimore County, where he sexually abused the victim, according to Archdiocesan records.
In 1993, a victim reported having been sexually abused repeatedly between 1970 and 1973 while assigned to Most Precious Blood in Baltimore. Fr. Smith would bring the young victim into the woods behind the church, where he repeatedly sexually abused him, according to Archdiocesan records.
Another victim reported in 1993 that he was sexually abused by Fr. Smith when he was 13 or 14 years old in 1969 or 1970. The victim reported that Fr. Smith had taken himself and other boys on a trip to go swimming at Porter's Beach, where Fr. Smith sexually abused the victim.
In 1993, a man reported that he and psychiatric evaluators believed that he had been sexually abused by Fr. Smith. The victim was an altar boy and student for seven years during Fr. Smith's tenure, and several years are blocked from the victim's memory, according to Archdiocesan records.
In 1993, a victim reported having been repeatedly abused by Fr. Smith, beginning in 1952, when the victim was in 7th or 8th grade. The victim reported that his brother had also been sexually abused by Fr. Smith.
According to Archdiocesan records, a man reported in 1993 that his deceased son had been sexually abused by Fr. Smith from 1973 to 1977 while attending St. Stephen's in Bradshaw. The man reported that Fr. Smith took his son and other victims on trips to Porter's Beach, where Fr. Smith sexually abused the victims.
Another man reported in 1993 that he had been sexually abused by Fr. Smith on multiple occasions between 1981 and 1983, beginning when the victim was approximately ten years old. The victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith on trips to Porter's Beach as well as in the victim's home.
In 1994, according to Archdiocesan records, a victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith in the early 1960s while on a trip with Fr. Smith to Ocean City.
In 1996, a man reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith beginning in the early 1960s when the victim was in elementary school and continuing until the victim was in high school. The victim reported that Fr. Smith would bring the victim to his room in the rectory of St. Michael's in Overlea, where Fr. Smith sexually abused the victim. Fr. Smith also brought the victim on various trips, including to Porter's Beach, Atlantic City, Montreal, and Miami. The victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith on each of those trips, according to Archdiocesan records.
In 2000, a man reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith on multiple occasions while he was an 8th-grade student at St. Michael's in Overlea. The victim reported that Fr. Smith had a new group of boys under his wing each year. According to Archdiocesan records, the victim reported having been brought to the rectory at St. Michael's by Fr. Smith, where Fr. Smith abused the victim.
In 2002, a man reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith between 1976 and 1979, when the victim was 9 to 12 years old. The victim was an altar boy at St. Stephen's in Bradshaw, where Fr. Smith brought the victim to the rectory and sexually abused him. The victim was then given a high-paying job at the St. Stephen's school, where Fr. Smith continued to sexually abuse him, according to Archdiocesan records.
In 2002, a victim reported that he and his friend had been sexually abused by Fr. Smith in the 1950s and 1960s. The victim reported that he and his friend played sports, traveled, and went to the movies with Fr. Smith, where Fr. Smith sexually abused them, according to the records.
In 2002, a victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith in the late 1960s while he was an altar boy at St. Michael's in Overlea. Fr. Smith gave the victim wine and sexually abused him in St. Michael's, as well as on outings with the altar boys to Porter's Beach and Ocean City. The victim reported having to use his elbows to defend himself, but upon freeing himself from Fr. Smith, he noted Fr. Smith repeating his actions to other altar boys, according to the Archdiocesan records.
In 2002, a woman reported that her son had been sexually abused by Fr. Smith while on a trip to Ocean City in the late 1970s. According to the report, Fr. Smith began to sexually abuse the boy while he was swimming, and when the boy got out of the water and ran away from Fr. Smith, Fr. Smith chased him down and threatened him.
In 2008, a woman reported that her grandsons had both been sexually abused by Fr. Smith from 1986 to 1988 when her youngest grandson was 6 or 7 years old. The woman and her grandsons attended St. Stephen's in Bradshaw, where the sexual abuse occurred.
In 2010, a victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith in 1961 while he was a 1st-grade student at St. Michael's in Overlea. The victim would act out in class, and his teacher would send him to speak to Fr. Smith, who then sexually abused him.
In 2014, a man reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith in 1982 or 1983 when he was 12 or 13 years old. The victim was an altar boy at St. Stephen's in Bradshaw, where Fr. Smith sexually abused him.
In 2015, a man reported having been repeatedly sexually abused by Fr. Smith from 1967 to 1968 while he was 10 and 11 years old. The victim would play football on the grounds of St. Michael's in Overlea, where Fr. Smith befriended him and 4-5 other boys. Fr. Smith took the victim and other boys to go swimming at Porter's Beach and Rocky Point State Park, where he sexually abused the victim.
In 2016, a victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Smith in 1954, when he was 14 years old. The victim attended St. Michael's in Overlea and began to see Fr. Smith for counseling. Fr. Smith would bring the victim to the rectory, where he sexually abused him.
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 adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.