16 former Wilmette clergy accused of sexual misconduct in new report

16 former Wilmette clergy accused of sexual misconduct in new report | The Wilmette Beacon

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16 former Wilmette clergy accused of sexual misconduct in new report

Rev. Donald J. McGuire, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1966-1971; died in 2017)

Rev. Harry J. Barton, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1960, 1983-1988; died in 1988)

Rev. Ignatius M. Burrill, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1964-1987; died in 1987)

Rev. James A. Condon, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1958-1961; died in 1993)

Rev. Gerald B. Garvey, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1935; died in 1960)

Rev. Robert J. Koch, S.J. (time at Loyola Academy unknown; believed to have died in 1996)

Rev. David F. McCarthy, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1965-1967; died in 1999)

Rev. Donald J. O’Shaughnessy, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1959-1965, 1968-1980, 1982-1990; died in 2013)

Rev. M. Lawrence Reuter, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1972-1990; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)

Rev. Wilton L. Skiffington, S.J. (at Loyola Academy 1956-1957, 1958-1966; died in 1988)

Rev. David Francis Braun (at St. Francis Xavier 1974-1984; died in 1997)

Rev. Thomas Burg (Released From diocesan assignment at Loyola University Ministry in Wilmette 1992-1994; died in 2002)

Rev. Edmund F. Burke (at St. Francis Xavier 1973-1984, died in 1989)

Rev. George W. Klein (at St. Joseph Church 1992-1996, at St. Francis Xavier Church 1997-2004; lived in Northbrook until 2017/current whereabouts and access to children unknown)

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Catholic clergy members from across Illinois, including 11 from Wilmette’s Loyola Academy and five from other Wilmette religious institutions, were accused of sexual misconduct in a 182-page report published Wednesday, March 20, by the Minnesota-based law firm Jeff Anderson and Associates. According to The Anderson Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese and Dioceses in Illinois, the release of the report, which includes nearly 400 names of Catholic clergy in the state, is intended to “raise awareness about the important issues of sexual abuse, provide the public with vital information including assignment histories, and provide awareness and healing to survivors of sexual abuse.” The law firm claims that the dioceses in Illinois have not publicly made available the full histories and their knowledge of their sexually abusive agents and employees. The clergy named in the report worked in the Archdiocese of Chicago and the dioceses of Belleville, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford and Springfield. Some of the allegations previously have been reported by 22nd Century Media, parent company of The Beacon, and other publications in some cases predating this company. Some of the allegations also have been publicly reported by various dioceses or archdioceses.The 11 former priests named from Loyola Academy were: Rev. Harry J. Barton, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1960, 1983-1988); Rev. Ignatius M. Burrill, S.J. (1964-1987); Rev. James A. Condon, S.J. (1958-1961); Rev. Gerald B. Garvey, S.J. (1935); Rev. Robert J. Koch, S.J. (time at Loyola Academy unknown); Rev. David F. McCarthy, S.J. (1965-1967); Rev. Donald J. McGuire, S.J. (1966-1971); Rev. Donald J. O’Shaughnessy, S.J. (1959-1965, 1968-1980, 1982-1990); Rev. M. Lawrence Reuter, S.J. (1972-1990); Rev. Wilton L. Skiffington, S.J. (1956-1957, 1958-1966); and Rev. Gerald A. Streeter, S.J. (1963-1964). Following a request for comment on this story, Loyola Academy referred The Beacon to the Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus. A spokesperson for the latter said it wouldn’t comment on behalf of Loyola, but did say “nothing in the report is new from the Jesuit standpoint” and referred to midwestjesuits.org as having a list of all the Jesuit priests named.In addition to the Loyola Academy priests named in the Anderson Report, five other former Wilmette priests were listed: Rev. David Francis Braun (at St. Francis Xavier, 1974-1984); Rev. Edmund F. Burke (St. Francis Xavier, 1973-1984), Rev. Thomas Burg (released From diocesan assignment at Loyola University Ministry in Wilmette, where he worked from 1992-1994); Rev. George W. Klein (St. Joseph Church, 1992-1996, and at St. Francis Xavier Church, 1997-2004); Rev. John F. Rohrich (resided at St. Francis Xavier, 1973-1975). There were also priests from other North Shore communities in 22nd Century Media’s coverage area named including Glenview, Northbrook, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Winnetka and Northfield.In the wake of the release of the Anderson Report, the Archdiocese of Chicago released a statement. It noted that the Archdiocese of Chicago does not “police itself” and reports all allegations to the civil authorities, “regardless of the date of the alleged abuse, whether the priest is a diocesan priest or religious order priest, and whether the priest is alive or dead.”In the statement, the Archdiocese of Chicago accuses Anderson & Associates of conflating people who have been accused, “but may be innocent, with those who have substantiated allegations against them, referring to all as perpetrators.” The Archdiocese of Chicago refers to its Independent Review Board, which was established in 1993 and is the primary adviser to the archbishop on issues of risk to children and fitness for ministry, according to the statement. After the civil authorities have completed their investigation, the Archdiocese conducts its own through the Independent Review Board. In 2018, the State of Illinois Office of the Attorney General released findings from its own four-month investigation into Catholic clergy sexual abuse. According to the Anderson Report, the attorney general’s review determined that the Illinois dioceses had received allegations related to sexual abuse for approximately 690 clergy, but only publicly identified 185 clergy as being “credibly” accused of sexual abuse. The Anderson Report lists those identified by the dioceses and more than 200 additional clergy members. The firm hopes to continue its “Fight for 500” statewide initiative which seeks to “uncover the identities and information about the more than 500 alleged predator priests the Illinois Attorney General reported are being hidden by Illinois Bishops.”Loyola Academy priests accused • Rev. Harry J. Barton, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1960, 1983-1988; died in 1988)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1940. According to the Jesuits, between approximately 1956 and 1957, Barton allegedly sexually abused a minor while he worked at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago. Barton is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” Barton’s status as a priest and whereabouts from 1961 to 1982 are unknown.• Rev. Ignatius M. Burrill, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1964-1987; died in 1987)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1937. According to the Jesuits, Burrill has more than one allegation of child sexual abuse against him. In approximately the 1950s, Burrill allegedly sexually abused a minor while he worked at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio. In approximately 1977, Burrill allegedly sexually abused a minor while he worked at Loyola Academy in Wilmette. Burrill is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.”• Rev. James A. Condon, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1958-1961; died in 1993)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1939. According to the Jesuits, Condon has more than one allegation of child sexual abuse against him. In approximately the 1960s, Condon allegedly sexually abused a minor while he worked at The Queen’s Work in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1965, Condon allegedly sexually abused a minor while he worked at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. The minor he allegedly sexually abused was not a student of St. Xavier High School. Condon is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” It is unknown whether Condon had access to children prior to his death. Condon is also included in the Jesuits U.S. Central and Southern Province “list of Jesuits with credible accusations of sexual abuse of a minor.”• Rev. Gerald B. Garvey, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1935; died in 1960) Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained date is unknown. According to the Jesuits, Garvey was accused of sexually abusing a child while working at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1950s. Garvey is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” Garvey is believed to have died in 1960, but he is listed in the 1961 Official Catholic Directory. • Rev. Robert J. Koch, S.J. (time at Loyola Academy unknown; believed to have died in 1996)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1943. The alleged abuse occurred in approximately 1966 at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago. Koch is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” • Rev. David F. McCarthy, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1965-1967; died in 1999)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1938. McCarthy was accused of sexually abusing a child from 1965 to 1978 while he was at Holy Family Parish in Chicago. McCarthy is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” Whether McCarthy had access to children before his death is unknown.• Rev. Donald J. McGuire, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1966-1971; died in 2017)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1961. At least 11 survivors have come forward and accused McGuire of child sexual abuse. The Jesuits allegedly first received reports of McGuire sexually abusing children in the late 1960s, and additional reports followed in subsequent years. In 1993, McGuire was sent to a treatment center in Maryland for six months but was allowed to return to ministry afterward. In 2006, McGuire was criminally convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison for sexually abusing two students of Loyola Academy from approximately 1968 to 1969, during his time as a faculty member at the school. Following his criminal conviction, McGuire was defrocked in 2006. In 2008, he was criminally convicted for traveling to engage in sex acts with a teenager, who he allegedly took on trips to Minnesota, Switzerland, and Austria, and subsequently received a 25-year sentence. McGuire is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” He was listed on the Illinois Sex Offender Registry until his death in 2017.• Rev. Donald J. O’Shaughnessy, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1959-1965, 1968-1980, 1982-1990; died in 2013)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1965. The majority of O’Shaugnessy’s more than five decades in the priesthood was spent at various schools throughout the Midwest. O’Shaugnessy was removed from public ministry in 2004 after three accusations of sexual abuse were lodged against him. The accusations were made by former students at Loyola Academy in Wilmette and resulted in three separate civil lawsuits, all of which have been settled. O’Shaugnessy was included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor” and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ “list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.”• Rev. M. Lawrence Reuter, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1972-1990; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1971. At least two survivors have come forward alleging sexual abuse by Reuter when they were students at Loyola Academy, where Reuter was president from 1975 to 1990. In 2010, Reuter was removed from active ministry after officials learned that Reuter had allegedly previously admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with an 18-year-old student at Loyola Academy when he was president. Reuter was subsequently assigned to internal ministry for Jesuits in a monitored setting. Reuter is believed to be residing in Clarkston, Michigan as of 2010. Reuter is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” Reuter’s whereabouts, status as a priest and whether he has access to children are unknown.• Rev. Wilton L. Skiffington, S.J. (at Loyola Academy 1956-1957, 1958-1966; died in 1988) Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1936. In 2003, a former student at Loyola Academy filed a lawsuit against the Jesuits, accusing Skiffington of repeatedly sexually abusing him starting in 1962. The lawsuit alleged that while the abuse was taking place his parents found an explicit letter from Skiffington to him, which they then turned over to school officials. After his parents turned the letter over to school officials, Skiffington was allegedly transferred immediately to a parish in San Diego. The Jesuits settled the case in 2005. Skiffington is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” Skiffington’s whereabouts, status as a priest, and whether he had access to children prior to his death are unknown.• Rev. Gerald A. Streeter, S.J. (at Loyola Academy, 1963-1964; died in 1996)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1968. Streeter has been accused of sexually abusing a minor in 1963 and 1964 while working at Loyola Academy in Wilmette. Streeter is included on the USA Midwest Province Jesuits’ list as having at least one “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” Streeter’s whereabouts, status as a priest, and whether he had access to children prior to his death are unknown. Priests from Wilmette parishes accused• Rev. David Francis Braun (at St. Francis Xavier 1974-1984; died in 1997)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1954. In 1963, Braun was stopped by Chicago police for soliciting a 14-year-old boy. Braun admitted to the accusation and was reportedly told the charges could be dropped if the church handled the matter. Braun admitted to picking up high school-aged boys and sodomizing them in his car or in a forest preserve. Braun was immediately put on leave, but returned to ministry a few months later and was assigned to a parish in Chicago. It is believed that Braun was sent to a treatment facility after admitting to sexually abusing minor children. According to the Archdiocese of Chicago, Braun was removed from public ministry in January 1994. Braun is included in the Archdiocese of Chicago’s list of “Archdiocesan Priests with Substantiated Allegations of Sexual Misconduct with Minors.” Braun’s whereabouts, status as a priest, and whether he had access to children from approximately 1992 to his death in 1997 are unknown.• Rev. Thomas Burg (Released From diocesan assignment at Loyola University Ministry in Wilmette 1992-1994; died in 2002)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1964. In 2002, the Diocese of Cleveland publicly announced that Burg was no longer in active ministry because of allegations involving abuse of minors. Burg was also alleged to have inappropriately touched a minor girl during confession. Burg’s whereabouts and whether he had access to children from 1995 until his death in 2002 are unknown.• Rev. Edmund F. Burke (at St. Francis Xavier 1973-1984, died in 1989)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1944. The Archdiocese of Chicago reportedly received allegations against Burke after his death. Fr. Burke is included in the Archdiocese of Chicago’s list of “Clergy with Substantiated Allegations of Sexual Misconduct with Minors.”• Rev. George W. Klein (at St. Joseph Church 1992-1996, at St. Francis Xavier Church 1997-2004; lived in Northbrook until 2017/current whereabouts and access to children unknown)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1959. According to the Archdiocese, Klein retired in 2010. In 2011, Fr. Klein was accused of sexually abusing a girl in the 1970s while he was principal of St. Benedict High School. In 2012, he was restricted from saying mass but remained in active ministry. Klein was believed to be living in Northbrook as of 2017, however, his whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.• Rev. John F. Rohrich (resided at St. Francis Xavier 1973-1975; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)Notes from Anderson Report: Ordained in 1965. In a 2004 lawsuit, which was settled by the Archdiocese, Rohrich was accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl while working at St. Eulalia and St. Matthias in the late 1960s to early 1970s. In 2006, Rohrich was included in the Archdiocese of Chicago’s list of “Clergy with Substantiated Allegations of Sexual Misconduct with Minors.” Rohrich’s current whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.Priests from Highland Park parishes accused • Deacon Patricio William Batuyong (at Ft. Sheridan Chapel 1984-1987; laicized in 1996; believed to have died in 2009)• Rev. Robert Louis Kealy (at Immaculate Conception 1992-2001; laicized in 2018; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)• Rev. Emmanuel Pallikunnen (Pallakunnel) (at Immaculate Conception; died 1978)Priests from Highwood parishes accused• Rev. John Edward Hefferan (at St. James 1981-1985; died in 2018)• Rev. James Steel (at St. James 1968-1974; laicized by church in 2001; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)Priests from Lake Forest parishes accused • Rev. Robert E. Mayer (at St. Mary 1976-1981; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)• Rev. Michael W. O’Connell (at St. Mary Church 1990-1993; at Lake Forest College 1994-1995; currently assigned to St. Alphonsus in Chicago, where he has access to children)Priests from Winnetka parishes accused • Rev. Robert Louis Kealy (at Saints Faith, Hope and Charity 2001-2002; laicized in 2018; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)• Rev. Robert Joseph McDonald (at Saints Faith, Hope and Charity 1973-1975; laicized in 2016; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)• Rev. Thomas J. Swade (In 1997, the Archdiocese arranged for Fr. Swade to live in the rectory and assist with duties at Saint Faith, Hope and Charity Catholic Church. After forceful pushback from the church’s parishioners, the Archdiocese dropped the plan; laicized in 2010; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)• Rev. Michael Weston (at Sacred Heart 1986-1988; laicized in 2009; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)Priests from Northfield parishes accused • Rev. George W. Klein (retired at St. Philip the Apostle 2005-2018; current whereabouts and access to children unknown) Priests from Glenview parishes accused • Rev. Eugene P. Burns (at St. Catherine Laboure, 1961-1966; died in 2005)• Rev. Walter G. DeRoeck (at St. Catherine Laboure, 1992-1996; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)• Rev. Jesus P. Garza (at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 1978; current whereabouts and access to children unknown)• Rev. Robert J. Lutz (at St. Isaac Jogues, 1962-1966; died in 2006) Priests from Northbrook parishes accused Rev. Robert Louis Kealy (at St. Norbert, 1971-72; whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.)Rev. Robert Joseph McDonald (at Our Lady of the Brook, 1979-85; laicized in 2016, was believed to be living in Washington, D.C. as of 1999. McDonald’s whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.)Rev. Robert J. Lutz (at St. Norbert, 1985-2005; died in 2006).

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