CHICAGO (IL)
Daily Herald
By Stacy St. Clair
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Wednesday, September 28, 2005
The Chicago Archdiocese has found a home in Mundelein for several newly defrocked priests accused of sexual misconduct with minors.
Catholic church officials declined to release exact numbers, but they confirm some of the punished clergymen have been staying on the University of St. Mary of the Lake seminary campus since allegations arose against them. The rest are living in private residences or nursing homes.
A victims advocacy group condemns the decision, saying the archdiocese has not warned residents that the men — who the church believes sexually harmed minors — have moved into the area. Cardinal Francis George also has refused to release the priests’ names, a move critics say could make it easier for them to prey upon children.
“He has a duty to reveal their names to unsuspecting people in the neighborhood,” said Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors’ Network of those Abused by Priests. “There’s no way these men are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”