Father Francis Lee Ryan

Rev. Francis Lee Ryan was “given the chance” to study for the priesthood in 1959 and was ordained in 1968.  In the early 1970s, the Diocese of Joliet received multiple letters from parishioners “criticizing Father Ryan,” however the Diocese has yet to produce those letters.  In 1985, the Diocese appointed Ryan as Diocesan Director of Vocations, a position of power he used to groom and abuse young boys who desired to enter the priesthood.  In April 1991 the Diocese received numerous reports of “rumors” regarding Ryan.  One parishioner states the rumors are “so violent in nature that if [true] should be investigated and Fr. [Ryan] should be defrocked.”  The parishioner then challenged Bishop Imesch by asking “if he is not suitable to remain at St. Francis, how can you in good conscience appoint him to another parish?” The Diocese did nothing in response except transfer Ryan to another parish.  In February 1993, a parishioner reported to Bishop Kaffer that Ryan “told him that he himself was a homosexual and had solicited” him.  However, Bishop Kaffer dismisses the complaint by saying the parishioner is “slightly retarded.”  In early 2002, the Diocese received reports of Ryan trying to groom a married man by repeatedly kissing him.  In response, Bishop Kaffer admitted Ryan engaged in “outrageous” conduct and “loved to shock people” when they worked together, but denies any abusive behavior.  The Diocese then sent Ryan for psychological treatment but then allowed him to resume an active ministry.  In 2010, a man came forward and reported Ryan sexually abused him while he was a student at Providence High School in the 1970s.  The Diocese placed Ryan on leave and in 2011 the Diocesan Review Committee unanimously agreed that allegations of abuse against Ryan were sustained.  Despite this agreement, in 2012 Bishop Conlon received instruction from Rome to reinstate Ryan because Ryan was not guilty of a “serious crime.”  Bishop Conlon then assigned him to St. Edmund Parish and St. Joseph Mission, but only a week later again placed Ryan on administrative leave “for the sake of the greater good of the Church.”

We Represent Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

The attorneys on this website represent survivors of childhood sexual abuse.  We have experience prosecuting civil claims against the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts, the Mormon Church, and many other powerful institutions that allowed children to be sexually abused.  If you or someone you love was sexually abused, please contact us to learn your options.

Father James Nowak

Difficulties with Father James Nowak began early on while he was still in the seminary.  In 1960, he was asked to leave the Capuchin Order because he was not “fit in regard to the vow of chastity.”  It was generally known that Nowak repeatedly watched others in the shower or using the restroom, and would roam the corridors and frequent the showers in order to seek such opportunities.  When he wrote to Bishop Blanchette in 1966 to request incardination into the Diocese of Joliet, he disclosed that he had been asked to leave the Capuchin Order because of his problems with chastity.  Despite this knowledge, Bishop Blanchette welcomed Nowak to the Diocese of Joliet, where he would eventually sexually abuse numerous children over the next three decades.  As early as 1967, the Diocese became aware of Father Nowak taking groups of children to swimming pools where he would swim and shower with them.  However, no restrictions were put on his behavior until 1990, when the Diocese prohibited him from being in any “locker room-type situations” with anyone under the age of 25.  Multiple victims of Father Nowak have come forward and described abuse at neighborhood pools, including Bolingbrook Park District. Father Nowak retired in 2007 and was placed on administrative leave in 2012 due to multiple accusations of childhood sexual abuse.

Read the secret priest file on Father James Nowak

Father Michael Gibbney

Throughout Father Michael Gibbney’s seminary years in the early 1970s, many of his superiors not only expressed their concerns about Gibbney, but many also refused to recommend him for advancement.  In 1975 when Gibbney petitioned the Bishop of Joliet for ordination, the Bishop was instructed to pay attention to “certain items” in Gibbney’s file that required attention and a subcommittee was formed.  Over objections by some on the Seminary Board, Gibbney was ordained in 1975.  In 1985 after a father reported that Gibbney had abused his sons on an overnight trip, Bishop Imesch gave Gibbney a series of “rules” regarding interacting with boys, including not taking boys on overnight trips.  Gibbney continued as an active priest until 1992, when he submitted his resignation after more allegations of abuse came to light.  Gibbney spent time with the Servants of the Paraclete in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, and requested laicization in 2010.  During his time in the Diocese of Joliet, he abused numerous children at parishes in Elmhurst and Bolingbrook, Bensenville, Steger, and Morris.

Read the secret priest file on Michael Gibbney

Father Lawrence Gibbs

Father Lawrence Gibbs, considered Joliet’s “most notorious priest abuser,” was recognized early on in seminary as a “poor candidate” for the priesthood.  The Diocese of Joliet received repeated warnings about the character and propensities of Father Gibbs.  Although in 1964 the faculty at St. Mary of the Lake seminary voted against allowing Gibbs to continue with his vocation and subsequently asked him to leave, Gibbs continued on at St. Procopius seminary.  Again his superiors informed the Diocese of Joliet that Gibbs “bears watching.”  In 1971, Gibbs applied for ordination into the Diocese of Joliet but after three hours of deliberations, the Seminary Board voted 9 to 0 against allowing Gibbs to be ordained.  During their deliberations a number of the Board members stated that they cannot recommend him for the priesthood and they eventually gave him three options: 1) seek laicization, 2) take a leave of absence working as a layman and returning to an extended diaconate, or 3) continue as a deacon indefinitely.  Although he was subsequently rejected by the Diocese of Rockford in 1971 and again by the Diocese of Joliet in 1972, noting he “seems to lack good judgment and prudence,” Bishop Blanchette for reasons unknown ordained Gibbs in May 1973 as a priest of the Diocese of Joliet.  Problems arose almost immediately with Gibbs, and he was abruptly transferred to and from a number of parishes in Lombard, Lockport and Glen Ellyn.  During the latter half of the 1970s, allegations surfaced regarding Gibbs sexually abusing boys at a cabin.  Although Bishop Imesch was directly notified that several families intended to file charges against Gibbs, he simply transferred him to a different parish.  Numerous parishioners came forward to express their concerns, but Gibbs was still allowed access to children.  In 1992, the Diocese of Joliet finally suspended Gibbs from public ministry.

Read the secret priest file on Father Lawrence Gibbs

Father Lowell Fischer

Originally a Trappist monk, Father Lowell Fischer requested incardination into the Diocese of Joliet in 1962.  Fischer wrote to Bishop Blanchette and explained that he had worked with young boys for the past four years, but that his “extremely active work” caused many “misinterpretations and misunderstandings.”  When Fischer left the monastery, his former abbot cautioned Bishop McNamara to put Fischer under “careful surveillance of a good experienced pastor . . . lest in his naiveté, he might make some serious mishap.”  Over the course of the next few years, Fischer made it well-known that he enjoyed working with youth, and many commented that he had a “winning way” with boys and that although he was reluctant to form close relationships with other priests, he made notable effort to “gain better report with the school boys.”  In 1975 Fischer abruptly resigned from St. Scholastica Parish and announced he was moving to Hawaii and going on “sabbatical” so he would not end up “in bad health or a nervous breakdown.”  A year later, Fischer made clear that he could not return to the Diocese of Joliet because of the “lies, slander, and accusations” against him.  He spent the next eighteen years in Hawaii before returning to Joliet in 1993 under restriction.  Although multiple allegations of abuse involving Fischer came to light, he was not officially removed from ministry until 2002 when a young man came forward and reported that Fischer had not only begun sexually abusing him in 1968, but that he eventually moved to Hawaii with Fischer.  In general, Fischer abused boys in multiple locations, including St. John the Apostle, Holy Ghost, St. Scholastica, and within the Diocese of Honolulu.  When Fischer abused boys, he often referred to the abuse as “sharing.”

Father Myles White

While Father Myles White was still in seminary, concerns arose regarding not only his temperament but also his ability to keep the vow of chastity.  In 1967, the Diocese of Joliet stressed that it was of “paramount importance” that White be fully aware of what the law of celibacy requires and the necessity for White to provide an “explicit statement concerning celibacy.”  In 1968, the Chancellor of the Diocese of Joliet is made aware that White engaged in acts of “imprudence” with young men, but the Bishop did not feel the problems were “serious enough” to stop White’s ordination.  After he was ordained, White was transferred multiple times for a variety of unknown “personal problems” or “mistakes” before becoming pastor of St. Boniface in Monee from 1978 through 1988.  He also served as pastor of St. Martin in Kankakee from 1988 until July 1992, when he was arrested on charges of child molestation.  Notably, a video surfaced of White sexually abusing a young man and when the police went to White’s home, they found him destroying photographs of him and the young man.  White soon admitted to sexually abusing children during a number of his assignments within the Diocese of Joliet.  White was removed from ministry and served prison terms in both Illinois and Indiana.

Joliet Review Board’s List of Accused Priests since the 1960’s

The following list was created by the Diocese of Joliet’s own Review Board.  The list reveals the extent of the problem of sexual abuse by priests of the Diocese since the 1960’s.  The list indicates that the Bishops of the Diocese were receiving reports of abuse as early as 1962, yet the Diocese allowed the accused priests to remain in their positions for many years later. It gives the names of at least 28 priests who have been identified as being accused of child sexual abuse. Survivors of Joliet diocesan priest abuse believe the diocese has been less than forthcoming with this information. It appears in excess of a hundred allegations have been made from the early 1960’s through the present, leading to the conclusion the Diocese has known for decades of this serious problem. The release of this list and the priests’ files are finally a step in the right direction toward transparency in identifying abusive priests and addressing the long-standing problem of child sexual abuse in this diocese. You can see the full priest sex abuse files for nine of these priests by clicking here. You should know you are not alone. If you want more information about these files or your legal options, feel free to contact one of our attorneys.

Joliet Diocesan Priests Accused with Substantiated Allegations of Child Sex Abuse

Pope Francis Comments on Child Sex Abuse

Pope Francis has been seen by some as very progressive. He asked forgiveness from those who were abused by priests, but are they ready to forgive so easily? We think it’s a step in the right direction that the new Pontiff is acknowledging the problem (even though we’ve heard it before), but does it really go far enough? One child abuse survivor spoke out to the Huffington Post, asking “Why can you be a child molester and a priest?”: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/14/church-victim-responds-to-pope_n_5147250.html

The harms caused by childhood sexual abuse have effects that can last a lifetime, and often, the child who was abused doesn’t recognize that the sexual abuse is what caused many of the problems in his or her life. An attorney that is knowledgeable in sexual abuse cases can help victims in their path to healing. A civil lawsuit brought against the organization that covered up abuse and moved a priest from one parish to another in hopes that they wouldn’t abuse again can compensate the victim for their suffering. Even if the abuse happened decades ago, you may still have a claim. Contact one of our attorneys to find out.

You are not alone