Lawsuit Claims Abuse by Chicago Priest in 1980s

By Naomi Nix
Chicago Tribune
May 14, 2012

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-lawsuit-claims-abuse-by-chicago-priest-in-1980s-20120514,0,6912552.story

A 40-year-old man has filed a lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Chicagoalleging a priest sexually abused him multiple times between 1983 and 1984 while he was an altar boy.In December of 1983, the plaintiff was ordered to a church rectory at night to complete a writing assignment as punishment for his alleged mistakes as an altar boy, when a priest allegedly asked him to pull down his pants, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges the priest told the boy to comply with his demands or he would tell his parents of the activity. The priest struck the 11-year-old boy with a wooden paddle and then inappropriately touched his genitals, the lawsuit alleges.

The priest allegedly sexually abused the young man in a similar manner four more times between 1983 and 1984, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that the priest told the boy repeatedly that his actions would "cleanse" the plaintiff of mistakes he made as an altar boy.

The priest was ordained in 1935 and served at various parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago between 1935 and 1987, according to the lawsuit.