Fr. William I. Joffe
Ordained: 1957
- 1958: Unknown
- 1959-1961: St. Peter’s, Rockford, IL (RCK)
- 1962-1965: Our Lady of Good Counsel, Aurora, IL (RCK)
- 1966-1969: Saint Patrick’s, Dixon, IL (RCK)
- 1970-1973: St. Mary’s, Morrison, IL (RCK)
- 1974-1983: St. Mary’s, Woodstock, IL (RCK)
- 1984-1987: St. Joseph Church, Harvard, IL (RCK)
- 1988-1989: Absent on Leave
- 1990: Unknown
- 1991: Active Outside the Diocese (Diocese of Venice, FL)
- 1992: Absent on Leave
- 1993: St. Flannen Church, Harmon, IL (RCK)
- 1994-1995: Unknown
- 1996-1997: Absent on Leave
- 1998-2004: On Disability Leave
- 2005-2007: Unknown
- 2008: Died
In December 1987, Fr. William I. Joffe was placed on leave after allegations arose he mismanaged parish funds at St. Joseph’s in Harvard, Illinois. In 1991, Fr. Joffe pleaded guilty to embezzling $265,000 and was sentenced to one year in prison and five years’ probation. In 1992, the Rockford diocese reassigned Fr. Joffe to St. Patrick’s in Amboy, Illinois. In 1993, Fr. Joffe was abruptly removed from ministry after the first allegation of child sexual abuse was made against him. Fr. Joffe has been accused of sexually abusing at least seven children and has been named in at least one civil lawsuit. Fr. Joffe allegedly sexually abused children while he worked at parishes in Dixon, Morrison, and Woodstock. Fr. Joffe held positions as director and co-director of religious education at Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling and Marian Central High School in Woodstock. In 2018, Fr. Joffe was included in the Diocese of Rockford’s list of “priests against whom a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has been reported.” It is believed after the Rockford diocese removed Fr. Joffe from ministry he moved to Florida, where he resided until his death. From 1994 until his death, Fr. Joffe’s status as a priest and whether he had access to children are unknown.