Early life Joseph Hart was born on September 26, 1931, to Hubert and Kathryn (née Muser) Hart in
Kansas City,
Missouri. His brother James became a priest of the
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, and his sister Rosemary served as human resources director for the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Hart attended St. Peter's Grade School (1936–1944) and
Bishop Hogan High School (1944–1948), both in Kansas City, Missouri. He then studied at
Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri, and
St. Meinrad Seminary in
Saint Meinrad, Indiana.
Priesthood Hart was
ordained a priest by Bishop
John Cody for the
Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph on May 1, 1956. After his ordination, Hart served as
assistant pastor at Guardian Angels Parish (1956–1962) and Visitation Parish (1962–1966), both in Kansas City, Missouri. During his tenure as bishop, Hart established the annual Bishop's Appeal and ordained 25 priests for the diocese. Hart volunteered to go to an Arizona residential facility for a
psychiatric evaluation, which later concluded that Hart "does not appear to be a threat to himself or others on any level." The diocese reported the allegations to the
papal nuncio and the USCCB, but did not reveal them publicly until January 2002. Hart "categorically and completely" denied the allegations, which he described as "baseless" and sources of "great pain...[and] embarrassment." Hart was cleared of those charges in July 2002. However, it was later determined that the original investigation was flawed; it was re-opened and more accusers came forward. Hart's successor, Bishop
David Ricken, was also implicated for his role in defending, and possibly also protecting, Hart during this criminal investigation. In 2004, Hart was named in a civil
lawsuit alleging that he sexually abused three children while serving in Kansas City and Cheyenne. In 2005, a fifth person alleged abuse by Hart in 1973 or 1974, when the man was a 12-year-old parishioner at St. John Francis Regis Parish. In 2017, Bishop
Steven Biegler, bishop of Cheyenne, announced an investigation of Hart. In April 2018, the
Cheyenne Police Department started a criminal investigation into Hart. In August 2019, the police recommended that criminal charges be filed against Hart. Four more people from Wyoming and Missouri also accused Hart of sexually abusing them as well, bringing the total of sex abuse allegations against Hart to more than a dozen. It was also revealed that in June 2019
Pope Francis started a canonical penal process against Hart. In August 2019, it was announced that a house owned by Monsignor Thomas O’Brien on
Lake Viking in Missouri was used by Hart and O'Brien to allegedly abuse children sexually, with O'Brien's sister allegedly assisting in the cover-ups. The diocese investigation concluded in July 2018, declaring that two victims were credible and their stories substantiated. However, in June 2020, the
Natrona County District Attorney's Office declined to press charges against Hart. Believing that the case was prosecutable, the Cheyenne police submitted it to the
Wyoming Attorney General. Also in January 2021, Wyoming Attorney General
Bridget Hill announced that her office would not pursue criminal charges against Hart. ==See also==