Ordained: 1941
Died: 04/21/1987
Diocese: Archdiocese of Baltimore MD
In 2002, a victim reported to the Archdiocese that she was sexually abused by Thomas Whelan when she was six years old in the 1950s. The victim was attending a social event at her home where Thomas Whelan, a mutual friend of her parents, was present. The victim described the abuse as tickling her stomach and then touching her inappropriately.
The Archdiocese made a mandatory report of the abuse to authorities. In a later conversation, the Archdiocese told the victim that they couldn’t find her initial email and that Whelan had no other reports of similar misconduct. They also discussed Whelan’s drinking problem and the possibility of him being drunk at the time of the abuse. Whelan had a history of alcohol addiction and was involved in a drinking and driving incident in 1973 that led to the death of an 82-year-old woman. Whelan has not been listed on any credibly accused lists.