(Baltimore, MD) – The Archdiocese of Baltimore was informed by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office of the arrest of Kenneth Goedeke on charges of soliciting a minor. Goedeke served as a deacon at St. Margaret Parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and began employment at St. Ignatius Church in Hickory in July of 2026. According to communications from law enforcement officials, these charges are not related to anyone at the parishes or schools where he served.
Pursuant to Archdiocesan policy, the Archdiocese removed Goedeke’s faculties to function as a deacon and suspended him from ministry and employment, pending the results of a full investigation.
Deacon Goedeke was ordained as a deacon in 2023. He served at St. Patrick Havre de Grace and St. Joan of Arc in Aberdeen before working at St. Margaret Church in Bel Air, beginning in 2025. Goedeke previously worked at St. Isaac Jogues Church from 2005 to 2012 and John Carroll High School from 2020 to 2026.
A thorough employment screening, which included FBI/CJIS fingerprint criminal history check, and a comprehensive background and reference check was completed prior to Goedeke’s employment with the Archdiocese and prior to his enrollment as a deacon candidate.
Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact the Harford County Sheriff’s Office tip line at cactips@harfordsheriff.org.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore is committed to protecting children and helping to heal victims of abuse. We urge anyone who has any knowledge of any child sexual abuse to contact law enforcement, and if clergy or other church personnel is suspected of committing the abuse, we ask that you also call the Archdiocese’s Office of Child and Youth Protection at 1-866-417-7469. If you have any other information relevant to this matter, please contact the Archdiocese’s Office of Child and Youth Protection at 410-547-5348.