WERE YOU SEXUALLY ABUSED BY A TEACHER OR SCHOOL STAFF?
You May Be Entitled To Substantial Compensation
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ILLINOIS CATHOLIC SCHOOL SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS
Fighting for Survivors of Sexual Abuse in Illinois Catholic Schools
llinois Catholic school sexual abuse lawsuits involve allegations that clergy and staff allegedly abused students across multiple schools.
Levy Konigsberg is investigating claims that students were allegedly sexually abused at Illinois Catholic schools and archdiocesan institutions in Illinois.
Illinois Catholic school sexual abuse lawsuits involve allegations against clergy members, teachers, coaches, administrators, and religious staff connected to Catholic schools throughout Illinois, including schools in Chicago, Aurora, and other communities statewide. Lawsuits and investigations have alleged repeated sexual abuse of minors, grooming, assault, rape, inappropriate conduct with students, and failures by church leaders and school officials to properly supervise accused individuals or investigate reports of misconduct. Some cases also involved allegations that institutions allowed clergy or staff with known histories of abuse or misconduct involving minors to continue working with children.
If you or a loved one was harmed, contact us today.
Were you sexually abused?
Sex Abuse Scandals in Illinois Catholic Schools
Examples of alleged abuse, and of conditions likely to lead to abuse within Catholic Illinois schools, include the following:
St. Ann’s Elementary School
- In February 2025, the Archdiocese of Chicago released a list of clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. The list includes individuals who served at St. Ann’s Elementary School in Illinois, including:
- Robert Craig
- John James Keehan
- In April 2024, a lawsuit was filed against the Archdiocese of Chicago for the alleged repeated sexual abuse of an altar boy by Rev. John James Keehan at St. Ann’s Elementary School and Parish between 1994 and 1997.
The archdiocese allegedly failed to properly supervise Keehan despite a known history of grooming and sexual assault dating back to 1967. At least two claims against him were substantiated.
This is the third lawsuit filed against the archdiocese by victims who were allegedly sexually abused by Keehan.
Holy Angels Catholic School
- In February 2025, the Archdiocese of Chicago released a list of clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. The list includes individuals who served at Holy Angels Catholic School in Illinois, including:
- Thomas J. Swade
- John Walter Calicott
- In February 2022, the Archdiocese of Chicago reached an $800,000 settlement involving five separate cases of alleged sexual abuse, including a claim against Father George Clements at Holy Angels Catholic School in Illinois.
Clements allegedly sexually abused the victim between 1974-1979, starting when he was 7 years old.
St. Rita High School
- In June 2024, the Augustinian Catholic Order released a list of clergy members credibly accused of child sexual abuse. Some individuals were associated with St. Rita High School, including:
- Mark Thedens
- Frank Paduch
Thedens previously taught Spanish and led the choir at the facility. In 1997, a lawsuit was filed against Paduch, former teacher at the facility, alleging that he molested a boy in Chicago during the early 1980s.
- In March 2019, a report indicated that Rev. Michael P. Hogan, allegedly sexually abused a student at St. Rita High School in Illinois in the 1960s.
Hogan was a teacher at the facility and was a member of the Order of St. Augustine.
The church allegedly failed to properly investigate the abuse.
Mount Carmel High School
- In November 2023, the Order of the Carmelites agreed to pay a $2.9 million settlement to a former student of Mount Carmel High School in Illinois who was allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulted by former teacher Brother Robert Murphy between 1982 and 1986. The facility was allegedly negligent and did not properly investigate the abuse.
Murphy allegedly had a history of misconduct involving minors in Georgia prior to his time at the facility.
- In May 2023, the Illinois Attorney General released a comprehensive report following a five-year investigation into Catholic clergy, identifying 451 clergymen with substantiated cases of child sexual abuse. Among those listed were several individuals who served at Mount Carmel High School. Seven of these men were officially assigned to teach or work at the facility, including:
- James Austin
- William Gleeson
- John Knoernschild
- Robert Kremer
- Robert Murphy
- Franklin Prior
- John Benedict Weber.
- In 1985, Father James Hoder, a priest with a history of child sexual abuse, allegedly taught at the facility in an unauthorized capacity.
- In November 2014, Kirby Cheesman, a former special education teacher at the facility, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual abuse involving a 16-year-old student.
Bishop McNamara High School (formerly Saint Patrick Central High School)
- In May 2023, the Illinois Attorney General released a comprehensive report detailing a years-long investigation into child sexual abuse within the Catholic clergy. This list includes John M. Beatty, an alleged perpetrator of child sexual abuse who served at Bishop McNamara High School.
Marist High School
- In October 2022, it was reported that a pending lawsuit was filed against the Marist Brothers Order following allegations that Brother Robert Ryan, the assistant principal at Marist High School in Illinois, sexually abused numerous boys in the 1970s.
The lawsuit alleged that Ryan engaged in masturbation, anal rape, sodomy, and oral sex with the victims.
St. Cyril Catholic School
- In June 2022, the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Order of the Carmelites reached a $1.75 million settlement with a victim who was allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulted as a child by Robert Boley, a Carmelite priest and teacher at St. Cyril Catholic School in Illinois in the 1980s.
Boley allegedly abused the student multiple times in the classroom.
The lawsuit alleged the church was negligent in vetting and supervising Boley prior to his transfer to the facility.
Prior to serving in Chicago, he had allegedly been accused of molesting at least two children while working in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Marmion Academy
- In September 2021, Joseph Charron, aka Brother Andre, a monk and former teacher at Marmion Academy in Illinois was accused of sexually abusing a student at the facility. Charron was subsequently charged in April 2022, and by April 2024, he pleaded guilty to aggravated battery.
Before joining the Marmion Monastery in Aurora, Illinois, around 2004, Charron was a member of the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd starting in 1979. During his time with that group, he worked in Momence and Lombard, Illinois (Diocese of Joliet); Albuquerque, New Mexico (Archdiocese of Santa Fe); and Miami, Florida (Archdiocese of Miami). He also served as the secretary general for that organization from 1997 to 2002.
Providence Catholic High School
- In April 2018, a lawsuit was filed against Rev. Richard J. McGrath, former president/principal of Providence Catholic High School, who allegedly repeatedly molested a teenage student in the 1990s.
In November 2023, the church agreed to pay the victim $2 million as settlement.
McGrath was also accused of possessing child pornography in 2017. According to a police report, he allegedly loitered by shower exits to force students to touch him.
LK is Investigating Sexual Abuse Claims in Illinois Catholic Schools
Levy Konigsberg is investigating cases of sexual abuse and assault that occurred at Illinois Catholic schools.
You may have a potential claim if you were sexually abused in any of the following schools, archdioceses, or districts:
We specialize in sexual abuse lawsuits against powerful institutions. These include government entities (such as prisons, schools, and juvenile detention / juvenile treatment centers), technology companies, and clergy.
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We work on contingency, which means there’s no cost to hire and no fee unless we win.
Who Can You Sue in a Sex Abuse Civil Case?
In a sex abuse civil case, the parties you might sue can vary depending on the circumstances of the abuse and the relationships involved.
Some potential parties that could be sued in a sex abuse civil case include:
- Individual Perpetrator: The alleged perpetrator of the sexual abuse can be named as a defendant in the lawsuit. This is often the person who directly committed the abusive acts.
- Institutions and Organizations: If the abuse occurred within an institution or organization, such as a school, church, sports club, or workplace, and they failed to take appropriate action to prevent or address the abuse, they might also be held liable.
- Employers: If the perpetrator was an employee of an organization or institution, the employer might be held vicariously liable for the actions of their employee if the abuse occurred within the scope of their employment.
- Property Owners: If the abuse occurred on a property owned by someone else, and the property owner failed to provide adequate security or take reasonable steps to prevent the abuse, they might be considered liable.
- Government Entities: In some cases, government entities might be involved, especially if the abuse occurred within a state institution or facility. Suing a government entity might involve specific procedures and limitations.
Sex abuse cases can be legally complex, so it's highly advisable to consult with experienced legal professionals who specialize in this area to understand your options and pursue the appropriate legal action. Levy Konigsberg, along with our team of sexual abuse lawyers, is available to provide assistance for your sexual abuse case.
Do I Have a Case?
You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:
- You were sexually abused by a teacher or staff at a school.
- The abuse occurred at any school.
Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold schools accountable for their failures to stop abusive teachers and staff.
As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:
- Your abuser is no longer alive.
- Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.
Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims
In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:
- Past medical and mental health expenses
- Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish and psychological harm
- Lost income
- Other economic and non-economic damages
We are investigating claims of sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by Illinois clergy and the religious institutions that failed to protect survivors.
Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating allegations of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy members. Our team is dedicated to providing legal support to survivors and holding accountable those who have committed these crimes. We are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors have access to justice and that the trust placed in religious institutions is restored.
Illinois Sexual Abuse Attorneys
Sexual abuse lawsuits, like other claims brought by plaintiffs who seek damages for injuries, are subject to a legal deadline known as the statute of limitations. When the statute of limitations expires, victims will not be able to file a claim or recover compensation.
Determining the statute of limitations in your claim can be challenging, as there are many factors to consider. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse claims brought by victims who were abused as minors is generally as follows:
- Claims brought by survivors of childhood sexual abuse (abuse that occurred when the victim was under 18 years of age) may be commenced at any time for victims who were born on or after July 24, 1983.
Determining the statute of limitations that applies to your sexual abuse case against an Illinois school or Illinois Catholic school can be challenging, which is why it is best to bring your matter to the attention of an experienced lawyer.
We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse in schools. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing legal representation and support to survivors, and we are actively investigating allegations of abuse. We are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors have access to justice and that future generations of young people are safe from harm within these institutions.
Trust Levy Konigsberg's Legal Team for Proven Results in Sexual Abuse and Negligence Cases
Levy Konigsberg LLP, a nationally recognized law firm, has built a legacy over three decades, recovering over $3 billion in sexual abuse compensation for clients. Led by award-winning sexual abuse lawyers, we specialize in representing survivors in sexual abuse across the country, taking on powerful institutions. Our top-rated trial practice handles all types of sexual abuse or negligence cases, showcasing numerous testimonials and successful case results.