PEORIA (IL)
Peoria Journal Star
Saturday, February 25, 2006
By MICHAEL MILLER
of the Journal Star
PEORIA - Catholic officials were not aware of any sexual abuse allegations against a priest when he transferred into the Diocese of Peoria in the mid-1980s, according to a diocesan statement.
The Rev. William Virtue, 57, has been removed from public ministry by the Catholic Diocese of Peoria over recent allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor, the diocese announced Thursday. The alleged incidents occurred "nearly 25 years ago" when he was a priest in the Diocese of Joliet, according to a diocesan statement.
The Peoria diocese did not say who made the claims or whether the allegations had been reported to police.
Virtue served at Sacre Coeur Catholic Church in Creve Coeur in 1990-1991 and oversaw the Diocese of Peoria deacons program at that time. He also was assigned to St. Joseph's Home in Lacon in 1991.