Father Joseph Mueller
Diocese of Pittsburgh
Ordained: 1983
Withdrew from active ministry: 1988
Died: 2010
Assigned as follows:
- 7/05/1983 - 7/14/1984: Parochial Vicar, St. Bernard, Mt. Lebanon, PA
- 7/15/1984 - 6/16/1986: Parochial Vicar, Holy Spirit, West Mifflin, PA
- 6/16/1986 - 1/22/1987: In Residence, Cardinal Wright Center
- 1/23/1987 - 2/1988: St. John's Hospital, Ministry
- 11/29/1988 - 2/24/2003: Administrative Leave
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father Joseph Mueller:
Father Joseph Mueller was ordained a priest in 1983, who served in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. According to media reports, in April 1986, an allegation of sexual abuse against him was reported to the Diocese. A young man said that when he was approximately 13 to 14 years of age, Mueller attempted to remove or pull down his shorts on several occasions. This
occurred when he stayed overnight with Mueller at the Holy Spirit rectory.
In December 1986, in a letter to the Diocese, St. Luke's stated that they stood by their recommendation that Mueller "not work with children or adolescents." As of November 1988, Mueller's faculties were withdrawn.
In September 1987, the Diocese received a complaint about Mueller. Specifically, a mother advised that Mueller paid "inappropriate attention" to her 16-year-old son.
In a confidential memorandum to Bishop Wuerl, it was suggested that Mueller was "unassignable." In a November 1988 letter to Mueller, he was presented with three options:
- Enroll in an interim program at St. Luke's to assist with the vocational discernment process
- Withdraw from active ministry
- Petition the Holy See for a dispensation from the obligations of the priesthood.
Mueller died in 2010 and his burial location is unknown. He was first named publicly as accused in a priest profile in the 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Pittsburgh may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.