Most Prolific Accused Priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago: Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases, Survivor Accounts, and Church Accountability
For decades, children across the Archdiocese of Chicago were harmed by clergy members who used positions of trust and authority to sexually abuse minors. While hundreds of allegations have been documented, some perpetrators stand out because of the number of survivors who have come forward and the length of time their abuse allegedly continued.
The following biographies highlight some of the most prolific accused and convicted perpetrators identified through the representation of survivors by Jeff Anderson & Associates. These accounts are drawn from court records, church documents, public reports, criminal proceedings, and the experiences of survivors who courageously shared their stories.
Contact us for a free, confidential conversation. If you were sexually abused by a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
FR. WILLIAM CLOUTIER: Allegations of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Have Been Admitted, Established or Determined to Be Credible
Fr. William Cloutier allegedly began abusing minors while still attending seminary at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary. Over the course of nearly four decades, Cloutier reportedly used alcohol, drugs, and the privacy of health clubs and other secluded settings to groom, isolate, and sexually abuse boys.
Church officials were first made aware of concerns involving Cloutier in 1976, when the principal of a school where he had been assigned (St. Francis Xavier Cabri) stated that Cloutier was no longer welcome on campus. Victims later reported abuse allegations to Msgr. Martin J. O’Day at St. Damian Church. O’Day reportedly confronted Cloutier, who expressed remorse and “sounded repentant.” O’Day allegedly took no action to help the survivor or alert authorities.
In 1979, Cloutier allegedly took two boys to his cabin and sexually abused them. According to reports, he threatened the children with a handgun and warned that he would kill their parents if they disclosed the abuse. The incident was reported to the Oak Lawn Police Department. Attorneys representing survivors later alleged that the Archdiocese of Chicago worked with law enforcement to place Cloutier in a mental health facility to avoid criminal charges and public scrutiny.
By 1981, Cloutier had returned to Chicago, where he worked at the University of Illinois Chicago and served in parishes throughout the city while continuing to face allegations of abuse. In 1989, parents and teachers at St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Parish reportedly demanded that Cloutier be barred from campus.
Cloutier was sued for sexual abuse in 1991. In response, the Archdiocese of Chicago retained a public relations and crisis communications firm to manage the fallout surrounding the allegations. Cloutier Died in 2003.
Fr. Russell Romano: Allegations of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Have Been Admitted, Established or Determined to Be Credible
Allegations of sexual abuse against Fr. Russell Romano first surfaced in 1985. Survivors told the Archdiocese of Chicago that Romano brought boys to his rectory room, where he allegedly provided alcohol, showed hard-core pornography, and sexually abused them. Church leadership reportedly instructed Romano to stop hugging, kissing, and drinking with minors, while emphasizing care and compassion for him. There was no outreach to victims, and police were not notified.
In 1986, an official at Quigley South High School reported Romano to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, which found the allegations credible. No criminal charges were filed. During the investigation, the Archdiocese conducted its own “discreet” inquiry, uncovered additional allegations, and allegedly failed to share those findings with DCFS or law enforcement.
Romano was later sent to the Saint Luke Institute for treatment, where he was reportedly chemically sterilized. After his release, the Archdiocese unsuccessfully attempted to place him in a chaplaincy role. Romano resigned from the priesthood in 1991 and was formally laicized in 2009.
In 2008, the Archdiocese learned Romano was working as a licensed counselor but did not immediately alert his employer or the relevant healthcare agency. After the Archdiocese publicly identified Romano as an accused cleric in 2013, his employer launched an investigation, and Romano retired shortly thereafter.
There are numerous credible allegations of sexual abuse against Romano.
Fr. Daniel McCormack: Allegations of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Have Been Admitted, Established or Determined to Be Credible
Fr. Daniel J. McCormack was one of the most prolific accused abusers connected to the Archdiocese of Chicago. Allegations regarding McCormack’s misconduct reportedly began before he was ordained. During his seminary years, he was accused of sexually abusing a minor boy during a trip to Mexico in the late 1980s. Church records later revealed McCormack admitted in 1992 to making sexual advances toward the child, yet he was still ordained a priest in 1994.
McCormack’s first assignment was at St. Ailbe Catholic Church, where survivors later alleged he sexually abused children between 1994 and 1997. Lawsuits claimed the Archdiocese either knew or should have known about earlier allegations involving McCormack, but allowed him continued access to minors.
By 1999, while assigned to Holy Family Parish, McCormack was accused of sexually assaulting an altar boy. In 2000, a nun at the parish school warned Archdiocesan officials that McCormack was engaging in inappropriate conduct with boys. Internal church records later showed concerns were raised repeatedly, yet McCormack remained in ministry, and the Archdiocese of Chicago ignored his actions.
McCormack was later transferred to St. Agatha Parish, where he served as a priest, basketball coach, and youth mentor. Survivors alleged McCormack used parish programs, athletics, and his position of authority to groom and sexually abuse boys, some as young as nine years old. Allegations spanned several years and described repeated abuse occurring both on and off church property.
In 2005, additional allegations were reported to the Archdiocese involving boys connected to St. Agatha Parish. Although the Archdiocesan review board reportedly recommended removing McCormack from ministry, Cardinal Francis George did not immediately remove him. Instead, McCormack was monitored and instructed to avoid contact with minors while remaining in active ministry.
In January 2006, McCormack was criminally charged with aggravated sexual abuse involving multiple children. Only after criminal charges became public was he removed from ministry. In 2007, McCormack pleaded guilty to five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving boys connected to St. Agatha Parish and was sentenced to prison.
Subsequent investigations and survivor lawsuits revealed the scope of abuse was far broader than the criminal case alone. The Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation later found the Archdiocese received well over 100 allegations connected to McCormack. Court filings and public reports alleged that Church officials repeatedly failed to act on warning signs and prior complaints, allowing McCormack continued access to children for years.
If you have any questions regarding child sexual abuse or need additional resources, visit our questions and answers page.
Fr. John Curran: Allegations of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Have Been Admitted, Established or Determined to Be Credible
Fr. John Curran has been accused of hundreds of instances of abuse from 1960 to the 1990s. Documents show that by no later than 1990, the former Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, was aware of sexual abuse allegations involving Fr. John Curran. Rather than removing Curran from ministry, Bernardin reportedly assured him that the Archdiocese would not disclose its knowledge of the allegations.
By 1992, mounting concerns and allegations forced Curran to resign from his position. In 1993, the Archdiocesan Review Board examined Curran’s file and concluded there was reasonable cause to believe he had sexually abused multiple children. Although Curran was placed on restricted ministry, he continued to spend time around minors.
As additional allegations surfaced, Cardinal Bernardin directed Curran in 1995 to seek treatment at the Wohl Institute. Curran did not immediately comply.
In 1996, Bishop Thomas Paprocki suspended Curran from all ministry after Curran refused to report for treatment. By that time, Curran was reportedly suffering from an unidentified illness. Despite his history of alleged abuse, Curran was reassigned to St. Joseph in Homewood, Illinois, and reinstated to priestly ministry.
Curran retired in 1999 and died in 2000.
FR. JOHN SMYTH: Accused of Sexual Misconduct
Fr. John Smyth, who died in 2019, was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1962 and served in a variety of roles at Mayville Academy for over 40 years. Smyth has been identified in lawsuits and accused of sexually abusing children during his tenure at Maryville. In the early 2000s, Smyth resigned as the Executive Director at Maryville following the death by suicide of a minor and another minor alleging they were sexually abused at Maryville. Smyth served at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, Illinois, until he retired in 2014.
Fr. Norbert Maday: Allegations of Sexual Abuse of a Minor Have Been Admitted, Established or Determined to Be Credible
The Archdiocese of Chicago first received allegations that Fr. Norbert Maday was sexually abusing children in 1988. Despite these reports, Maday remained a priest for years. In 1993, he was arrested for sexually abusing two boys in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1986. The following year, Maday was convicted of child sexual abuse and witness intimidation and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Following his conviction, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin increased Maday’s salary to assist him while being incarcerated and reportedly loaned him $100,000 for his criminal defense. Bernardin also declined to pursue a canonical trial that could have removed Maday from the priesthood. More than a decade after Maday’s conviction, Church officials continued to process new allegations against him.
Court records and depositions reveal that Cardinal George and other Archdiocesan officials maintained extensive involvement with Maday during his imprisonment. Correspondence from 1997 through 2004 documents efforts to secure special accommodations for him in prison and to obtain his early release. In one letter, Cardinal George thanked the Governor of Wisconsin for permitting Maday to privately view his mother’s body before her funeral. Numerous other letters detail ongoing efforts by Church officials to advocate on Maday’s behalf, although those attempts to shorten his sentence were ultimately unsuccessful.
Maday was released from prison in 2007 and transferred to a treatment facility. He was later laicized and removed from the priesthood. In 2012, he was committed to a secure treatment center after being classified as a sexually violent person. Maday was last known to be living in Wisconsin as a registered sex offender, though his current whereabouts and whether he has access to children are unknown.
Contact us for a free, confidential conversation. If you were sexually abused by a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Archdiocese of Chicago Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse Have Rights & Can Take Action
The biographies presented here represent only a portion of the clergy abuse cases that have emerged from the Archdiocese of Chicago. Behind every allegation is a survivor whose life was altered by abuse and whose decision to come forward helped expose conduct that might otherwise have remained hidden.
The experiences of Jeff Anderson & Associates’ clients reveal recurring patterns: allegations ignored or minimized, delayed intervention by church officials, and perpetrators who often remained in positions of trust despite repeated warning signs. These stories serve as a reminder that accountability is not only about acknowledging past failures but also about ensuring that institutions prioritize the safety of children above all else.
If you or someone you know experienced sexual abuse by a member of the clergy in the Archdiocese of Chicago or elsewhere, you are not alone. Coming forward can be difficult, but sharing your story may help protect others, expose wrongdoing, and advance the pursuit of justice and accountability. Contact us in confidence.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this blog is compiled from publicly available sources, including court records, criminal proceedings, church documents, media reports, government investigations, and allegations reported by survivors represented by Jeff Anderson & Associates. The biographies are intended to provide historical context regarding clergy sexual abuse allegations and related institutional responses within the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Some individuals discussed herein were convicted of crimes, while others were accused through civil litigation, church investigations, survivor reports, or other documented proceedings. References to allegations reflect information contained in these sources and should not be interpreted as independent findings of fact by Jeff Anderson & Associates.
This blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. Readers seeking legal guidance regarding a specific matter should consult qualified legal counsel.