Fr. Francis (Frank) Engels
Ordained: 1962
- 1963-1965: St. John, Champaign, IL (PEO)
- 1966-1967: St. Mary, Champaign, IL (PEO)
- 1968: St. Mary’s Hospital, Galesburg, IL (PEO)
- 1969-1970: St. Joseph, Pekin, IL (PEO)
- 1971-1973: St. Columba, Ottawa, IL (PEO)
- 1974-1976: St. Joseph, Chenoa, IL (PEO)
- 1977-1986: St. John, Woodhull, IL (PEO)
- 1987-1993: Sacred Heart, Annawan, IL (PEO)
- 1994-2002: Absent on Leave (PEO)
- 2003: Unknown
- 2004-2005: Retired (PEO)
- 2006-2019: Unknown
In 1993, Fr. Francis (Frank) Engels was accused of sexually abusing children in the 1970s and 1980s. Fr. Engels acknowledged that he had had a sexual encounter with one of his accusers, but claimed his accuser was over 18 years old when the incident occurred. In 1993, the Diocese of Peoria removed Fr. Engels from ministry and placed him in therapy. In 2004, Fr. Engels entered an Alford plea to criminal sexual abuse of a minor in Wisconsin, following a civil lawsuit alleging the abuse occurred in both Illinois and Wisconsin. At the time of the alleged abuse, Fr. Engels was assigned within the Diocese of Peoria. In 2005, Fr. Engels was sentenced to ten years in a Wisconsin prison. Fr. Engels was included in the Diocese of Peoria’s list of “Priests Removed from Ministry Due to Allegations of Abuse of a Minor.” Fr. Engels is a registered sex offender and is believed to be residing in Kewanee as of 2019.