Suburban priest asked to step away from parish following child sex abuse allegations

CHICAGO (IL)
WGN

November 28, 2020

By Andy Koval and Brónagh Tumulty

[Includes a copy of Cardinal Cupich’s letter to parishioners.]

A suburban priest has been asked to step away from his parish following child sex abuse allegations stemming from when he was an executive at a youth academy.

Father David Ryan, a priest at St. Francis de Sales Parish and School in Lake Zurich, has been asked to step away by Cardinal Blase Cupich due to allegations of sexual abuse of minors approximately 25 years ago.

The allegations are tied to when he was an assistant executive director at Maryville Academy, located in Des Plaines. He reportedly became assistant executive director in 1985.

He was promoted to executive director in December of 2003, according to his biography on City Club of Chicago. City Club of Chicago lists him among their board of directors.

At the time, Maryville was serving 1,100 infants, children and youth with a staff of around 900, according to his biography.

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