Illinois Attorney General Clergy Report

Illinois Attorney General Clergy Report – This report includes descriptions of child sexual abuse, assault and trauma. Resources for survivors of child sexual abuse can be found on the Resources page of this site.

The following report represents the conclusion of my office’s multi-year investigation into the sexual abuse of children by members of the Catholic clergy in six dioceses in Illinois – the Archdiocese of Chicago and the dioceses of Belleville, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford and Springfield. The investigation began in the second half of 2018 after a Pennsylvania grand jury reported that more than 300 Catholic priests abused more than 1,000 children in the commonwealth over the previous 70 years. Even before taking oath, I am committed to continue the investigation started by my predecessor.

Illinois Attorney General Clergy Report

Throughout this investigation, two goals will remain at the core: first, to obtain a full accounting of proven child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Illinois and provide full public reporting of alleged abusers; And second, to give survivors a voice in an effort to contribute to their healing journey. To this end, my lawyers and investigators reviewed thousands of diocese files, over 100,000 pages of documents held by the diocese. He spent many hours engaging in interviews and conversations with diocesan leadership and representatives. And throughout this investigation, my office has received more than 600 confidential communications from survivors through e-mails, letters, voicemail messages, interviews and phone calls. My investigative team treats each allegation with due respect and follows up on the grounds to ensure we conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation. To build the most compelling part of this report, my team worked closely with survivors to draft narrative accounts of their experiences as children sexually abused by clergy. Neither the investigation nor this report would be complete without the survivors who bravely come forward to share their experiences and perspectives. I express my sincere gratitude to each of the survivors and others who contacted my office for their personal contributions.

Catholic Clergy In Illinois Sexually Abused Nearly 2,000 Children, Ag Probe Finds

The Attorney General’s report is available in English. Portions of the report are available in Spanish and Polish.

In the late summer of 2018, a Pennsylvania grand jury found that more than 300 Catholic priests (bishops, priests and ordained deacons) serving in the commonwealth had sexually abused more than 1,000 children over the previous 70 years. Shortly after the grand jury issued its report, Cardinal Blaise J. of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Cupich wrote a letter describing the “anger, shock, sadness and shame” he felt when he learned of the “horrifying revelations of sexual abuse—and the bishop’s failure to protect children entrusted to his care—published in a Pennsylvania grand jury report. Then-Bishop Daniel R. Conlon of the Diocese of Joliet said the Pennsylvania numbers ” Shocking,” he called. “It is disturbing to realize that some of my brother bishops and priests have failed to uphold their duty to care for the people. .” Similarly, then Bishop Edward K. of Belleville Diocese. Braxton called the Pennsylvania grand jury’s findings “deeply disturbing,” causing “anger, dismay, disappointment, and confusion in the minds and hearts of Catholics.” Laity and clergy.” ” In response to these Illinois Catholic leaders’ response, the Pennsylvania report sent shock waves across the country. Attorneys general in various states, including Illinois, announced investigations into child sexual abuse by Catholic priests.

Archdiocese of Chicago Diocese of Peoria Diocese of Joliet Diocese of Belleville Diocese of Rockford Diocese of Springfield

Most of the survivors interviewed by the attorney general’s investigators reported experiencing some type of mental health challenge in the years following the abuse.

Report Finds Thousands Of Sexual Abuse Cases In Catholic Church

Like many survivors of priest abuse, “Carl” kept it a secret for years; Only when he learned of the Attorney General’s investigation did he feel comfortable reporting it. Carl became close to Father Arno Dennerlein while serving as an altar server at St. Patrick’s in Joliet. In 1973, Carl was 14 years old and often spent time with Dennerlein at St. Patrick’s Rectory. On one visit to Dennerlein’s private sitting room, the priest heard the boy confess – a sacrament or holy ceremony in which one reveals one’s “sin”. Carl admits…

Father Daniel McCormack is one of the most notorious child abusers anywhere in Illinois. For years, he preyed on vulnerable boys in black neighborhoods on Chicago’s West Side. What distinguishes McCormack from other prolific child abuse scholars is that his abuse occurred and came to light relatively recently. And despite reforms aimed at protecting children and ousting abusive priests, the Archdiocese of Chicago fell short in the wake of McCormack’s abuse. Indeed, even after McCormack was arrested for sexually abusing boys, Cardinal Francis George himself…

Shortly after opening the priest abuse hotline, State Attorney investigators became familiar with the name of Father Walter Weerts. All three survivors contacted had similar experiences. Weerts first befriended his parents, who were all Catholic. She would then buy the men gifts and take them to fancy restaurants in her Mercedes—and eventually on trips in her private jet. “You didn’t even know you were dating,” the survivor told TODAY. Springfield Diocese files Bishop William O’Connor and …

“Shanis” is good at math. He had to. If he made a mistake, his teacher, Father Robert Boley, would tell him he couldn’t go outside for recess – instead he had to stay in class with him. And Bole used to rape her by sitting her on his lap. He did it dozens of times during the school year. The abuse occurred in the late 1980s when Shanice was a fifth-grader at St. Cyril in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood. Bole was a member of the Carmelite religious order; He is also Shanice’s math and classroom teacher. Shanice remembers…

Reports Of Attorneys General, Grand Juries, Individuals, Commissions, And Organizations [attorney General, Ag, Grand Jury]

Now an ordained Catholic psychologist and deacon in the Diocese of Joliet, Terry Neary (who allowed us to use his real name), is a survivor of child sexual abuse by Catholic priest Father William Lehain. Terry believes the church’s public naming of abusers on the diocese’s website was a “game changer” for healing survivors. He identified seven “major benefits and purposes for listing proven offenders on the diocesan website” for the attorney general’s investigators: General Declaration “No one sees a simple personal letter, or …

Unless otherwise indicated by *, terms are defined as provided in the United States Catholic Conference’s Glossary of Catholic Terms.

Individuals, usually children, assist the clergy in liturgical functions such as mass. Before 1994, only men and boys were allowed to be altar servers.*

The title is automatically conferred on the bishop who administers the archdiocese. It is given to some other high officials of the Church.

Illinois Ag’s Catholic Clergy Abuse Report Could Spark Lawsuits

Ordination is the highest service in the Catholic Church. Archpriest in the respective Diocese. Bishops are responsible for the pastoral care of their dioceses. All bishops are responsible for acting in council with other bishops to guide the Church.

A person who has taken vows in a religious order but has not been ordained or studied for the priesthood. Sometimes they are called lay brothers to distinguish them from ordained members of religious orders.

The highest Catholic priest under the Pope. Cardinals are considered the Pope’s closest advisers. Most cardinals are archbishops.

Chief Archivist of the Official Records of the Diocese. Also Notary and Central Administrative Secretary of Diocese.

Ag Raoul ‘surprised And Dismayed’ By Cardinal Cupich’s Response To Child Sex Abuse Report

Clergy is a collective term referring to all ordained persons—bishops, priests, and deacons—who conduct church services. A priest is an individual member of the clergy. Only men are allowed to join the priesthood.

A Catholic sacrament in which a person makes a voluntary self-confession of sins to a personally qualified priest in order to receive absolution. Priests offer confession, also called penance, with the penance made. An imam who hears a confession is prohibited from revealing the contents of the confession to others under the seal of the confession.*

Through staff and offices (1) the pope administers the affairs of the universal Church (Roman Curia), or (2) the bishop administers the affairs of the diocese (diocesan curia). The main officers of the diocesan curia are the vicar general, the chancellor, the officer of the tribunal or diocesan court, the inspector, the conciliator, the auditor and the notary.

The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People sets out policies for each archdiocese and diocese in the United States to adopt as part of efforts to address allegations of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests. The charter was created at the 2002 meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Dallas, Texas. The charter was revised in 2005, 2011 and 2018.

Nearly 2,000 Children Sexually Abused By Catholic Leaders In Illinois

One of the three groups comprising the clergy, i.e. those ordained for ministry. Only men are allowed to become deacons. Deacons preparing for the priesthood are transitional deacons. Those who do not plan to become priests are called permanent deacons. Married men can be ordained permanently

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