CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Tribune
[Searchable: Accused Priests Who Worked in the Archdiocese of Chicago – BishopAccountability.org]
By Christy Gutowski, Cynthia Dizikes, Todd Lighty,
Chicago Tribune
They were among the most popular and influential priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Robert Kealy was a lawyer who handled sex abuse claims against priests, R. Peter Bowman was a former high-ranking church administrator and John Calicott was a South Side priest adored by his parishioners and who held leadership roles in the church.
All three men were abruptly pulled from ministry in 2002 by Cardinal Francis George amid accusations they sexually abused children decades earlier. Their removal, with the archdiocese providing scant information, bewildered and angered parishioners, many of whom refused to believe the allegations.
Now, more than 12 years later, a clearer understanding of what the three priests were accused of doing, and how the archdiocese responded, has emerged from internal church documents that George ordered released last week.
Kealy admitted to smoking marijuana and drinking with boys in the 1970s, and the church found he “engaged in acts of sexual misconduct with a minor,” according to the files. Bowman allegedly abused at least seven children, including forcing a seventh-grade boy to perform oral sex on him. Calicott, according to his file, allegedly engaged in oral sex with two boys, ages 12 and 14.
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