James M. Ray: Allegations of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Have Been Admitted, Established or Determined to Be Credible

James M. Ray

5/14/1975        Ordained at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, IL

1974-75           Victim JT alleges a single incident of abuse that occurred at St. Anastasia during this timeframe (AOC 018835)

5/14/1975 – Associate Pastor, St. Anastasia Parish

1976                Date of initial incident of alleged abuse (AOC 018809)

6/08/1982 – Associate Pastor, St. Peter Damian

6/13/1989 – Associate Pastor, Transfiguration

4/1990             AD receives phone call from 20 year old individual alleging abuse when he was 12 thru teenage. Relationship lasted for over 8 years. A second person alleges abuse at age 16 when traveling (AOC 018820, AOC 018923)

5/21/1990        Allegations of abuse made. Allegations made on 5/21/90 substantiated by an Administrative Review as the Review Board wasn’t established until 1992. (AOC 018811, 019324-25)

6/04/1990        Fr. Goedert advises Ray to avoid being in the company of minors under the age of 18 without another adult present as a precaution and stay away from the Bartlett area to the extent possible. (AOC 018829)

10/30/1990      Ray signs an agreement to be placed on restrictions while in assignment at Transfiguration, Wauconda, IL. (AOC 018830)

11/1991           AD received a call from a man who claims Ray held him on his lap as a young teenager in 1974-75. Living in Retreat/Koenig house at this time. (AOC 018924)

11/05/1991      The principal of Transfiguration School reported to Dr. Elaine Schuster that Ray was taking children “out” and that he was around the children with a “touchytender” approach. (AOC 018831)

11/11/1991      Removed from Transfiguration, but Cardinal O’Malley told Ray he wanted him to function as a priest in some specialized ministry. (AOC 018832)

11/22/1991 – Staff, Hospital & Health Affairs

11/30/1991      Victim JV wrote to Cardinal on 11/18 reporting allegations of sexual abuse. He is concerned about his name being released to the press. (AOC 018837 – 018838)

12/18/1991      Ray requests to review his personnel file. (AOC 018839)

1/14/1992 – Assistant Liasion for CARE (Catholic Health Ministry) & Associate Administrator, Catholic Charities

12/08/1992      Ray will be helping out on some weekends at Addolorata Villa in Wheeling, IL celebrating mass and hearing confession. (AOC 018875)

11/26/1993      Review of Ray’s restrictions. Discussed tightening up measures resulting from recent disclosure about his activities while in Split, Yugoslavia. (AOC 018902 – 018903)

5/06/1996        Ray writes to Cardinal Bernardin requesting permission to go before the Fitness Review Board to be considered to return to a limited role in ministry (AOC 018945)

6/08/1996        Ray is given permission to help at Sisters of the St. Casimir as long as minors are not involved (AOC 018953)

10/12/1999      Date allegation formalized by Victim JS. Abuse occurred from 1976-1982. (AOC 019000)

11/20/1999      Allegations by Victim JS deemed credible by the review board during the first state review & restrictions outlined. (AOC 019018)

11/29/1999      Review board completed 2nd Stage Review and determined there is reasonable cause to suspect Ray engaged in sexual misconduct w/ a minor (AOC 019026)

4/15/2000        Ray to become a full-time resident at St. Mary of Perpetual Help (AOC 019045)

8/19/2000        The Review Board signed off on the residence proposal for Ray to live at the Augustinian House. (AOC 019054)

9/18/2000        Review subsequently recommends Ray reside at St. John Stone Priory in Chicago, IL (AOC 019062)

???                   Letter from Ray to Cardinal George requesting dispensation from all obligations arising from priestly ministry. Was removed from parish ministry 11/15/91, but worked at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese for 10 ½ years and allowed to do a limited amount of public ministry. For past 6 ½ years has not been allowed to do any public ministry. (AOC 018801)

6/25/2002        Temporarily withdrawn from all public ministry (AOC 019187)

7/12/2002        No longer with Catholic Charities (AOC 019187)

9/23/2005        Parishioners at Transfiguration notified (AOC 019313)

???                   A file review was performed and noted 3 males reported being sexually abused by Ray. The boys were between the ages of 10-18 at the time of abuse. There appears to be an additional 3 males that Ray may have masturbated. In a memo dated 10/12/99, Ray also admits to masturbating a paraplegic on a pilgrimage to Medjugorie. He was put on restrictions following these allegations. A memo dated 5/21/90, while at St. Anastasia (1975-82) Ray engaged in mutual masturbation with a boy 16-18 years old. 2 other victims said they would sleep at the rectory. (AOC 018806)

10/14/2008      Allegation of sexual abuse (AOC 019392)

11/26/2008      Ray’s relative contacts AD, she is aware of many people negatively impacted by relationships with Ray when they were minors (AOC 019413-019415)

12/1/2008        Serious concerns about Ray’s current risk to offend – given new tighter restrictions (AOC 019402-08)

3/2/2009          Leaves all active ministry (AOC 019426)

3/20/2009        2 Additional Allegations (AOC 019422)

2/4/2012          Allegation – Minor abused at transfiguration in the 90s (AOC 019465)

1/23/2012        Laicized

5/18/13            New Allegations of abuse between 1982-84 (AOC 019440-019441)