Father Joseph McHugh – Diocese of Trenton

Assignment Record:

DatesAssignment
Approx. 1973 Ordained in the Diocese of Trenton
1974 – 1978 St. Mary’s Church, New Monmouth, NJ
1975 – 1983 Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Maple Shade, NJ; Note: from 1975 to 1978, Father McHugh is assigned at both St. Mary’s Church and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
1984 – 1985 St. Gregory the Great Church, Trenton, NJ
1986 St. Raphael’s Church, Trenton, NJ
1987 – 1990 St. Joseph’s Church, Beverly, NJ
1991 – 1996 St. Thomas More Church, Manalapan, NJ
1997 – 2002 “Leave of Absence”
Source:
  • The Official Catholic Directory, Kenedy & Sons

(The years listed above are the publication years of the Official Catholic Directory. According to the Directory, the assignments provided for a given year are effective as of January 1 of that year. This means that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year at a parish or school was likely at the same assignment for at least part of the previous year as well.)

Summary:
  • Father Joseph McHugh was accused of sexually abusing a female minor child on at least ten occasions from approximately 1974 to 1975 when the female child was approximately six to seven years old. At the time of the sexual abuse, Father McHugh was assigned to Our Lady of Perpetual Church in Maple Shade, New Jersey, and the female child was a parishioner of the church and a student at the parochial school affiliated with the church. The sexual abuse took place at the girl’s family home in Maple Shade.
  • The sexual abuse by Father McHugh included the following: Father McHugh fondled the girl’s chest, buttocks and genitals over the girl’s clothing.
  • The claim settled in February 2020 in the low five figures.