CHICAGO (IL)
Abuse Survivors Coalition [USA]
August 26, 2026
Fr. Michael Pfleger, a priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, has again been returned to ministry following an investigation into the 5th accusation of sexual abuse against him. Four of those accusations, including this last one, involved children. The Abuse Survivors Coalition (ASC) remains skeptical that with 5 accusations, there is no fire behind this smoke. Despite the promises of the Dallas Charter for openness and transparency, the findings of Review Boards are seldom explained, as is the case here.
According to the Archdiocese, it accepted the conclusion of the Review Board that “there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation.” The Abuse Survivors Coalition finds this a disappointing conclusion to the investigation, particularly with almost no information about the 5th accusation, and absolutely no explanation for the reasons behind the reinstatement. Moreover, just how independent can a Review Board be when its members are chosen by Church officials?
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 suggests that it is even more unlikely that the accusations are false.
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 accusations against a respected clergyman can make it easier to disclose. Yet how many times can Church officials pronounce accusations “unbelievable” before victims’ 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 were victimized in the Archdiocese of Chicago will continue to come forward and report to secular authorities instead of the Church. In our experience, institutions cannot be trusted to investigate themselves.
CONTACT: Terry Steubenville, ASC Midwest Contact (survivorsmidwest@gmail.com), 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 (susan.vance@ascoalition.org, 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)