Assignment Record – Rev. James Glenn/J-Glenn Murray, s.j.

Summary of Case: A priest of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus ordained in 1979, Murray gained prominence as a speaker on liturgy and African-American life and worship. His career began in Durham, NC and took him to Baltimore, MD, Cleveland, OH and Washington, DC. In 2005 a report was made to the Province that Murray had "improperly touched" a male high school student in the early 1980s in Baltimore. The Jesuits said they informed civil authorities, who closed the case when Murray's accuser wouldn't speak with them. The Province's Review Board determined that the allegation was not credible, and Murray was allowed to remain in ministry. In 2011 the Jesuits revisited the case when Murray was being considered for a new assignment. Based on new information that showed the allegation to be credible, Murray was permanently removed from ministry.

Ordained: 1979

1979

Oakland bishop was John Stephen Cummins (1977-2003).

1980

Raleigh bishop was Francis Joseph Gossman (1975-2006).

Baltimore

• In 2005 a man reported to the Jesuits that Murray improperly touched him during 1981-1982, when the man was a St. Frances student.

1981

Baltimore archbishop was William Donald Borders (1974-1989).

1984

Borders was succeeded by William Henry Keeler (1989-2007).

3/3

In residence 1984-1985, 1988-1991; weekend assistant 1985-1986

1991

St. Louis archbishop was John Lawrence May (1980-1992).

1988

Cleveland bishop was Anthony Michael Pilla (1980-2006), followed by Richard Gerard Lennon (2006-).

St. Henry's had a school with 183-155 students.

Murray is indexed and listed at both All Saints in Baltimore and St. Henry's in Cleveland in the 1989-1991 Directories.

The allegation that Murray abused a minor in the early 1980s was first reported to the Maryland Province Jesuits in 2005. The Jesuits said they informed civil authorities, but the case was closed when Murray's accuser wouldn't speak with them. The Province's Review Board did it's own investigation and determined that the allegation was not credible.

2007

Washington DC archbishop was Donald William Wuerl (2006-).

3/3, 2/2

parochial vicar

St. Aloysius had a CCD program with 45 students.

The investigation into the 2005 allegation against Murray that he "improperly touched" a minor in 1981-1982 was reopened by the Jesuits in 2011 when Murray was being considered for a new assignment. The Jesuits said that, based on new information that showed the allegation to be credible, they permanently removed Murray from ministry.

Murray is not indexed in the 2012 Directory.

The Jesuits stated in 2011 that Murray was living in a monitored Jesuit residence.

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1980-2011)

• Reverend J-Glenn Murray, SJ, Seton Hall University, February 23, 2007
• Former Gonzaga College Hs Priest Removed, ABC 7, June 16, 2011
• Jesuits Remove Popular Priest over Alleged Abuse, By Associated Press, Sacramento Bee, June 21, 2011
• J-Glenn, Gone, Whispers in the Loggia, June 21, 2011
• Jesuit Who Had Served in Cleveland Removed from Ministry over Allegation, By Michael O'Malley, Plain Dealer , June 23, 2011
• Father J-Glenn Murray Barred from Ministry over Sex Abuse Allegation, By Nancy Frazier O'Brien, Catholic News Service, June 24, 2011
• Predator Priest, Worked in Cleveland, Is Ousted; SNAP Responds, Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, June 24, 2011

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Murray's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on March 29, 2014.