ILLINOIS
Daily Herald
Bob Susnjara
Complaints about a former suburban priest’s sexual abuse of children have been periodically received by the Archdiocese of Chicago since initial allegations became public in 2002, according to documents released Thursday.
Previously secret files on the Rev. James Ray show the most recent claim about him molesting a boy was received by the archdiocese last January. The document states the possible abuse occurred while Ray was associate pastor at Transfiguration Parish in Wauconda from 1989 to 1991.
Other accusations about sexual abuse by Ray against three minors were lodged with the archdiocese in 2013 and 2009. Ray was laicized in January 2012 and no longer is a priest, according to the fresh files.
In 2002, the archdiocese announced Ray was under investigation for sexual misconduct while associate pastor at St. Peter Damian Parish in Bartlett from 1982 to 1989. In 1991, Wauconda parishioners were told Ray was removed because of misconduct at St. Peter Damian.
But the new documents show Ray also was accused of sexually attacking two boys when he was associate pastor at St. Anastasia Parish in Waukegan from 1975 to 1982. Ray was accused of starting the abuse when the boys were 10 and 11 years old.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.