ROCKFORD (IL)
DavidClohessy.com [St. Louis MO]
May 27, 2023
By David Clohessy
Their names are missing from the Rockford diocesan ‘credibly accused’ list, even though they are or were in the Rockford area and are on one or more church ‘credibly accused’ lists elsewhere.
- Fr. Philip DeRea, was in the Rockford diocese two or three times for a total of at least nine years (from 1970-1976 at Sacred Heart Monastery and from 2008-2011 at the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Community, both in Aurora). In 20—, US Catholic magazine reported on an abuse and cover up lawsuit against DeRea and his church supervisors which said that he “currently lives in Aurora and has most recently served as development director” for a church entity.
According to a Pennsylvania newspaper obituary, after ordination “DeRea was first assigned to the Public Relations Department of the headquarters of the USA Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Aurora.”
For roughly 40 years, Fr. DeRea was widely-known through, and revered by kids, for his position as the Indy Racing League chaplain. He was sued for molesting at least one boy and is on the ‘credibly accused’ list posted by his religious order.
- Fr. John J. Powell, who worked at Bellarmine School of Theology in North Aurora from 1966-1967. He’s accused of molesting seven girls. (Six abuse lawsuits against him settled.) Powell is listed as ‘credibly accused’ by three sets of church officials (Detroit Archdiocese, Ft. Wayne-South Bend diocese and the Jesuits).
- Fr. Norman J. Maday, who assaulted 72 kids (including at least one in 1978 in Rockford, according to the AG), was sentenced to 20 years in prison for abuse and was on the state’s sex offender registry. He’s on the ‘credibly accused’ list in the Chicago archdiocese.
- Fr. Robert Charles Becker, who worked at an undisclosed parish in the Rockford diocese for two years, according to Raoul’s report. He’s on the Chicago archdiocesan ‘credibly accused list. He was sued for abuse several times and several of the cases were settled.
- Fr. Robert J. Erpenbeck, who worked in the Rockford Diocese for two years at Bellarmine School of Theology in North Aurora. He faced ‘several’ accusers and is on the ‘credibly accused’ lists in the archdioceses of Chicago and Cincinnati and on the Jesuits website.