SPRINGFIELD (IL)
State Journal-Register
By John Reynolds (john.reynolds@sj-r.com)
The State Journal-Register
Posted Sep 19, 2013
A former Jacksonville priest is being investigated for an alleged incident of sexual misconduct while he was serving at a church there 33 years ago.
The Rev. Robert “Bud” DeGrand, 61, has temporarily withdrawn from serving Catholic parishes in Sigel, Neoga, Green Creek and Lillyville, in east-central Illinois, according to a statement from the Springfield Catholic Diocese.
DeGrand has also served parishes in Winchester, Bluffs and Granite City.
The alleged misconduct occurred while DeGrand was serving Our Saviour Parish in Jacksonville in 1980, the same year he was ordained to the priesthood, according to a news release issued by the diocese Thursday. …
SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, called on Paprocki to suspend DeGrand.
“There’s a difference between someone stepping aside and someone being told to step aside,”
SNAP said in a news release. “To let a credibly accused child molesting cleric decide whether to temporarily step down minimizes the horror he or she allegedly committed.”
SNAP also said the allegation should have been made public earlier.
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