A Catholic priest from Grayson County who served as the unofficial chaplain for basketball teams at the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville has again been accused of sexually abusing a minor in the 1980s.
Father Joseph Edward Bradley, 75, was accused in late February of this year of sexually abusing a minor while he was principal at Owensboro Catholic High School. He served in that capacity from 1980 until 1985. He was suspended by the Diocese of Owensboro until the investigation into the allegation is complete. The report was forwarded to the Daviess County Commonwealth Attorney for potential prosecution.
A second allegation of sexual misconduct by Bradley was reported to the Diocese of Owensboro on March 4, 2019. The incident allegedly occurred in 1980, according to the diocese. The second allegation has also been turned over the Daviess County Commonwealth Attorney.
A 12-member Diocesan Review Board undertook an investigation that included interviewing several individuals and reviewing a report provided by an independent investigator, the diocese said. In late April, the board recommended to Bishop that the allegations be deemed substantiated.
“I have accepted the counsel of the Diocesan Review Board that they believe these allegations have been substantiated,” Bishop William F. Medley said.
Medley will now submit a report to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican, recommending that Bradley’s temporary suspension from public ministry be made permanent.
The diocese said that during this process, Bradley is entitled to canonical counsel and representation, and his suspension from public ministry will remain in force. Bradley does maintain his innocence. The Vatican that will render the final decision.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct by anyone acting in the name of the Church,” Medley said. “We stand ready to offer support to anyone who has ever been harmed.”
Bradley served as priest at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Henderson beginning in 1995 until 2011. He was named Henderson’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the Henderson Chamber of Commerce in 2007.
He was the unofficial chaplain of the UK basketball team beginning in 1992 after meeting then-UK coach Rick Pitino. He also served as the team chaplain at UofL during Pitino’s tenure at the school from 2001 until 2017.
Bradley served as executive director of an Owensboro shelter for women and children that was named for Pitino’s son Daniel, who died in 1987 at six-months-old from a congenital heart ailment. Bradley also performed marriage ceremonies for several former UK basketball players and officiated at the funeral of long-time UK basketball and football play-by-play broadcaster, Cawood Ledford.
Bradley was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Owensboro in 1975. He retired from public ministry in 2011.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
