CHICAGO (IL)
Abuse Survivors Coalition [USA]
July 13, 2026
Fr. Michael Pfleger, a priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, has again been publicly accused of child sexual abuse this week. This is the 5th allegation of sexual abuse that has been made against the priest, the 4th for child sexual abuse. Fr. Pfleger has been removed from St. Sabina Parish while the accusation is being investigated and has vehemently denied the allegation.
The Archdiocese reportedly found “no evidence of wrongdoing” in the previous 4 accusations. Fr. Pfleger was twice removed from ministry during an investigation and then twice returned to St. Sabina. With this 5th allegation, the Abuse Survivors Coalition (ASC) wonders how many survivors need to come forward before their accusations are believed?
Studies have shown that false accusations of child sexual abuse are extremely rare. Even the 2004 John Jay study of the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church found only 1.5 of the accusations to be false. In this case, with another 4 allegations, that lowers the odds even further.
It can often take survivors decades to find the courage to speak up about their abuse. Knowing that they are not the only ones making allegations against a respected clergyman can make it easier to disclose. Yet how many times can Church officials pronounce accusations “unfounded” before victims once again view coming forward as an exercise in futility?
We here at the ASC will continue to believe and support survivors who speak out. We hope that those who believe that they were victimized by Fr. Pfleger or any other person in the Archdiocese of Chicago will continue to come forward. If the option is available,
report to secular authorities instead of the Church. In our experience, institutions cannot be trusted to investigate themselves.
Despite the promises of the Dallas Charter for openness and transparency, the findings of review boards are seldom explained.
We urge the Archdiocese to consider the accusations against Fr. Pfleger in the aggregate this time, and to fully explain their decision when it is made.
The ASC knows that where there is smoke, there is fire.
CONTACT: Melanie Sakoda, ASC Media Statement Working Group, ASC CA Contact (melanie.sakoda@gmail.com, 925-708-6175), Susan Vance, ASC Operations Team, ASC TN Contact(Susan8324@gmail.com, 865-748-3518)
(The Abuse Survivors Coalition is a survivor-led, peer-run organization dedicated to supporting individuals affected by abuse and advocating for accountability within institutions where abuse has occurred. ASC is informed by decades of collective experience in survivor support, advocacy, and public education. The organization focuses on facilitating peer support, sharing information about available survivor resources, and engaging in advocacy efforts centered on survivor-led principles. Survivors remain the central priority of the ASC’s work. Our website is: www.ascoalition.org)