Fr. David Ryan Identified in Lawsuit After Continued Accusations of Child Sexual Abuse While He Was Assigned to Maryville Academy
On November 28, 2020, Saint Francis de Sales parishioners were informed that their pastor, Fr. David Ryan, who had served there since 2007, was being removed from ministry after being accused of sexually abusing a minor decades earlier at Maryville Academy in Des Plaines, Illinois. In the letter, the Archdiocese of Chicago repeated the Church’s familiar assurances about child safety, claiming “nothing is more important than the welfare of the children entrusted to our care.” Yet serious allegations require a serious investigation – one that leaves no doubt.
Eleven months later, in September of 2021, another letter was sent to parishioners announcing that the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Independent Review Board had found “insufficient reason to suspect Father Ryan had committed sexual abuse of a minor.” Fr. Ryan was immediately reinstated as pastor of Saint Francis de Sales.
Just one week later, a new allegation surfaced accusing Fr. Ryan of abusing another minor. His return was delayed, and the archdiocese expressed “disappointment” because “plans were being made to welcome Father Ryan back” that weekend. On November 20, 2021, Fr. Ryan was reinstated.
In September of 2022, nearly two years after the first survivor came forward, the Archdiocese of Chicago sent another update informing Parishioners of St. Francis de Sales Parish that two minors had accused Fr. Ryan of abuse. By then, multiple survivors had accused Ryan, yet Fr. Ryan was asked to “step aside” while the Review Board investigated.
As accusations mounted, the dragged-out updates continued in what has become a predictable Catholic hierarchy tactic: delay, minimize, and hope parishioners forget. Then, on February 11, 2023, Fr. Ryan was reinstated. This time, the letter to parishioners took a new tone—shifting blame onto survivors. The letter stated that “after numerous attempts, those making the accusations have refused to cooperate with both civil and church investigations,” and therefore recommends that “he (Fr. Ryan) be returned to ministry and that the files be closed on these two claims.”
Over two years later, in July of 2025, parishioners of St. Francis de Sales Parish received another update: the Archdiocese had received another allegation against Fr. Ryan, again tied to his time at Maryville Academy three decades earlier. Ryan was removed from ministry for the third time while the Archdiocese announced it would investigate “with the presumption that one is innocent until proven otherwise.” A lawsuit identifying Fr. Ryan has been filed, and he is currently not serving in ministry.
Across every update, the Archdiocese of Chicago relied on hollow words. Their Statements about “responsibility for the welfare of children” and appeals for survivors to come forward are meaningless when paired with decades of failure in child protection. Words are worthless when leadership refuses to act. The Archdiocese of Chicago must act and conduct a thorough investigation into all of the accusations against Fr. Ryan.