Lawsuit: One Priest Sexually Abused Boy, Another Gave Him Drugs

By Alicia Fabbre
Chicago Tribune
November 17, 2015

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/joliet-romeoville/news/ct-jlt-priest-abuse-suit-joliet-tl-1119-20151117-story.html

Lawsuit alleges one priest sexually abused boy, then another priest gave him pot to forget it

A former parishioner of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Lombard is suing the Diocese of Joliet and two former priests claiming he was sexually abused nearly 40 years ago by one priest and offered drugs by another.

The alleged victim, identified only as John Doe, alleges Fr. Henry Slade attacked him when he was 11 years old. The lawsuit also claims Fr. Philip Dedera heard the boy's screams but did nothing and then later offered him marijuana when he came out of Slade's bedroom. Both priests appear on the Diocese's published list of priests facing credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors.

Slade, 76, said Monday that he is innocent and has not been served with the lawsuit yet.

"That's not me," said Slade, who now resides in Colorado and said he is not involved in any type of ministry. "That's nothing that happened. I'm totally innocent of this."

"I never had anything to do with 11-year-old kids," Slade said.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Joliet on Monday declined comment, noting the pending lawsuit. Burr Ridge based attorney Jerome Vinkler, who represents the plaintiff, could not be reached for comment.