Catholic brother accused of abuse barred from ministry

BALTIMORE – A Roman Catholic brother accused of sexually abusing a minor has been barred from his religious order’s ministry in Maryland and placed on administrative leave from his teaching job in Massachusetts while authorities investigate.

The Xaverian Brothers is a lay religious order headquartered in Baltimore that sponsors about a dozen schools across the United States. In a news release Wednesday, the order said Brother Robert Flaherty is being investigated for an allegation of sex abuse from the mid-1980s.

Flaherty taught at a Catholic school in Baltimore from 1980 to 1993.

Flaherty did not respond to an email for comment. The Xaverian Brothers say they are fully co-operating with investigators.