Norbert Maday
Ordained: 1964
- 1964-1966: St. John of God, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1966-1969: St. Leo, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1969-1977: St. Louis de Montfort, Oak Lawn, IL (CHI)
- 1971-1974: Catholic Scouting (CHI)
- 1974-1977: Archdiocese Council of Catholic Youth (CHI)
- 1977-1983: St. Bede the Venerable, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1983-1989: Our Lady of the Ridge, Chicago, IL (CHI)
- 1989-1992: St. Jude the Apostle, South Holland, IL (CHI)
- 1993-1994: Absent on Sick Leave (CHI)
- 1994-2007: Prison
- 2007: Laicized
- 2008-2019: Unknown
Fr. Norbert J. Maday was ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1964. Fr. Maday has been accused of sexually abusing at least a dozen boys in Chicago. In 1993, Fr. Maday was arrested for sexually abusing two young boys in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1986. Fr. Maday was subsequently convicted of child sexual abuse and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1994, six years after the Archdiocese first received an allegation of child sexual abuse by Fr. Maday. In 2007, Fr. Maday was released from prison and sent to a treatment center and defrocked. In 2012, Fr. Maday was sent to another secure treatment facility after he was classified as a sexually violent person. Fr. Maday has been named in at least four civil lawsuits in which he is accused of child sexual abuse throughout 1967 to 1986. Fr. Maday is listed on the Archdiocese of Chicago’s list of clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct with minors. Fr. Maday was last known to be living in Wisconsin as a registered sex offender, but his current whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.
The Archdiocese Helps a Felon and Tries to Get Him released From
Prison early
Although convicted of abuse and witness intimidation, the Archdiocese
increased his salary, promised to not remove him from priesthood
The personnel file of Norbert Maday is a perfect example of how the Archdiocese of Chicago bent over backwards to help a convicted child-molesting priest, but did little to nothing to help his victims.
Maday was convicted of child sexual abuse and intimidating witnesses in 1994, six years after the Archdiocese learned that Mayday was molesting kids. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In response, Cardinal Bernardin increased the priest’s salary to help him in prison, after loaning Maday $100,000 for his criminal defense.
Bernardin refused to pursue a canonical trial to remove Maday from the priesthood, and more than decade after Maday’s conviction, Cardinal George was still sending new allegations to the Review Board. In one decree, signed 13 years after Maday’s conviction, George stated that “information at least seems to be true” that Mayday—who admitted his crimes in a clemency hearing—abused kids.
In his 2006 deposition, Cardinal George was questioned extensively regarding documents evidencing the Cardinal’s personal involvement from 1997 through 2004 to get Maday special treatment in prison and to get him released from prison early. In one letter, Cardinal George writes to the Governor of Wisconsin thanking him for allowing them to bring Maday’s mother’s body to the prison for a private viewing prior to her funeral. In numerous other letters Cardinal George and other Archdiocese officials write to Maday and prison officials detailing their efforts to secure Maday’s early release from prison. The Archdiocese is not successful in getting Maday released early.
TIMELINE OF DOCUMENTS –NORBERT MADAY
4/30/64 Ordained
6/25/64 – Assistant Pastor, St. John of God
3/66 – Assistant Pastor, St. Leo
9/22/69 – Assistant Pastor, St. Louis de Monfort, Oak Lawn, IL
8/3/71 – Assistant Director, Catholic Scouting
10/16/74 – Associate Director, Archdiocese Council of Catholic Youth
1975 According to a 2006 report, Maday sexually abused a minor from approximately 1975 to 1977. The abuse consisted of fondling and took 2 place during local and out of state trips where the survivor shared a bed with Maday. Maday also provided the survivor with alcohol and drugs, and showed him pornography. (AOC 000821)
11/11/76 Personal data form from Maday indicates he spends much of his time doing youth activities. (AOC 001540- AOC 001541)
6/8/77 – Associate Pastor, St. Bede the Venerable
6/20/83 – Associate Pastor, Our Lady of the Ridge
6/13/89 – Associate Pastor, St. Jude the Apostle
7/16/90 Memo from Fr. McDonagh regarding an allegation of abuse by Maday 2 years ago, in approximately 1988. As recently as Monday Maday went on a picnic with parents and kids. (AOC 001037)
3/4/92 Illinois State Police investigative report regarding a report of sexual abuse against Maday. (AOC 001428- AOC 001434)
3/15/92 Memo regarding Maday and a report by a mother of two boys who were abused by him. At the time of the abuse the mother talked to the pastor of the parish, Fr. Boreczky, who talked to Maday about the abuse. Maday denied any improper behavior. (AOC 000980)
8/2/92 Protocols and restrictions for Maday, including keeping a detailed itinerary, permission required to leave the Chicago area, no one under 18 is allowed in his residence, etc. (AOC 001009- AOC 001010)
11/25/92 Letter from Fr. Paprocki on behalf of Carindal Bernardin instructing Maday not to wear a collar becauase he is on an administrative leave of absence. (AOC 000952)
11/16/93 Memo regarding Maday taking a computer and Spanish course and traveling to Michigan with another priest for 3 days. (AOC 000997)
11/17/93 According to a memo summarizing an allegation against Maday, the allegation was received on Nov. 17, 1993 but was not formalized with the Professional Review Board until June 6, 2006. (AOC 001318)
6/8/94 Maday convicted of three counts of sexual assault and one count of intimidation of a witness. (AOC 000946)
6/4/96 Letter from Cardinal Bernardin to Maday choosing not to pursue a canonical penalty in his case. (AOC 001343)
8/13/97 Letter from (redacted) to Cardinal George about Maday and this “problem” George inherited. The author notes that Cardinal Bernardin held a press conference to say that the Archdicose does not pay for the criminal defense 3 of priests and then the next day loaned Maday the first $100,000 for his defense. (AOC 000954- AOC 000956)
9/8/97 Letter from Cardinal George to Governor of Wisconsin thanking him for allowing Maday to has his mother’s body brought to the prison for a viewing prior to her funeral (AOC 00959)
1997-2003 Series of letters from Cardinal and other top officials at the Archdiocese trying to get Maday’s prison sentenced reduced and to have him returned to the Archdicoese. (AOC 00957-00958, 00938-00940, 00935, 00930, 00929, 00909, 00902)
12/1/98 Letter from Leggdas, the Professional Fitness Review Administrator, to Fr. Coughlin saying that Maday’s stipend will be increased to $300/month for personal expenses while he is in prison. (AOC 000943)
12/5/00 Memo summarizing a clemency hearing for Maday. At the hearing Maday admitted for the first time that he sexually abused boys. (AOC 000907)
2/4/02 Letter from Cardinal George to Maday noting that the Archdicoese has tried a number of avenues to try to reduce or end Maday’s prison sentence. (AOC 000902)
4/23/02 Letter from survivor of abuse by Maday to Cardinal George. He describes his abuse by Maday and questions how other adults at St. Bede the Vulnerble did not know about Maday’s abuse of children. (AOC 000898- AOC 000899)
1/24/03 Memo from a conversation between Fr. James Kaczorowski, Michael Just, and Maday in which Maday was confronted with allegations of sexual abuse and denied them all. He admits to sleeping in the same bed as boys and maybe giving a stomach rub, but denied all other allegations. (AOC 000893- AOC 000896)
6/25/03 Memo summarizing a second stage interview regarding an allegation of sexual misconduct against Maday in which he fondled a minor’s genitals, and had the minor sit on his lap while driving. The survivor reported that Maday also had child pornography in his possession. The board upheld their recommendation that there is reasonable cause to suspect that the misconduct occurred. (AOC 000881)
12/11/03 Memo from an interview with a sexual abuse survivor. The survivor reports abuse by Maday when he was a student at St. Bede the Vulnerable. The survivor stated that his teacher, Mary Mantia, knew about the abuse and comforted him. (AOC 000874- AOC 000875)
12/9/04 Memorandum summarizing meeting between Maday, McCluskey, the Professional Responsibility Administrator, and Fr. Edward Grace, Vicar for 4 Priests, outlining allegations against Maday, who denies any sexual abuse or misconduct. (AOC 000855-AOC 000857)
2/12/05 Memo from the Review Board after conducting an initial review of an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against Maday, where Maday pinned the survivor on the ground and exposed himself. (AOC 000842)
6/28/06 Letter from Maday to McCluskey of the Review Board denying the allegations against him and admitting that he has been accused of abuse in the past. (AOC 000827-AOC 000828)
9/5/06 Report of sexual abuse of a minor by Maday alleging Maday had the survivor and other boys sit on his lap as they drove his car. The abuse took place in Maday’s car and in a swimming pool. (AOC 000822)
2/6/07 Decree signed by Cardinal George stating that “information at least seems to be true” that Maday engaged in sexual abuse of a minor. (AOC 001282)
1/27/10 Letter from Arnette Heintze of Hillard Heintze enclosing an investigation and summary on Maday. (AOC 001394) (Report- AOC 001395- AOC 001426)