CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Tribune
By Manya Brachear Pashman and Jeremy Gorner
Chicago Tribune
Chicago police have confirmed a criminal investigation has been opened into a parish priest who was removed from ministry by the Chicago Archdiocese after it said materials were found on a computer in his possession.
The confirmation from police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi came after the diocese disclosed Monday on its website that the Rev. Octavio Munoz Capetillo had been removed as pastor of St. Pancratius Church on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
“Given the nature of the material, we reported our concerns to the civil authorities and will cooperate fully in their investigation,” the archdiocese said in a statement. “In the interim, Archbishop (Blase) Cupich has withdrawn Father Munoz’s … authority to minister.”
Munoz, who was removed from ministry July 27, will reside away from St. Pancratius until the matter is resolved, the archdiocese said. A temporary administrator will be appointed to assume his duties at the parish.
Until his recent appointment at the church, Munoz had been director of Casa Jesus, a renowned archdiocese training program for Latin American men who aspire to become priests. In that role from 2008 to 2015, Munoz, a native of Mexico, sought candidates for the priesthood from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and other Latin American countries in hopes of recruiting clergy who more accurately reflected the church in Chicago.
Munoz, who was ordained in 2004, was first assigned to St. Agnes Catholic Church in Chicago Heights.
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