CHICAGO (IL)
WLS - ABC 7 [Chicago IL]
October 13, 2026
By Jasmine Minor
[Photographs above: Abuse survivors at Holy Angels parish in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge]
Seven former students of the former Holy Angels Catholic School in Bronzeville filed lawsuits alleging they were sexually abused by priests and accused the Archdiocese of Chicago of failing to protect students despite knowing about the allegations.
Attorneys representing the former students said more than 100 former students were abused at the Catholic school and that some alleged victims were as young as 5 years old.
The seven lawsuits filed Monday represent what attorneys described as the first of many expected legal actions.
One lawsuit describes what it calls “a continuous, decades-long child sex ring at Holy Angels,” alleging abuse occurred from 1969 to 2002.
According to attorneys, one former student alleged the abuse began as molestation.
“It escalated into forced oral sex over 20 times and then rape as a fifth and sixth grade boy,” attorney Steven Hart said. “He was told by the priest to keep quiet and to shut his mouth. And if he did, God would protect him.”
The lawsuits name four former priests: George Clements, Paul Smith, John Calicott and Kenneth Brigham.
Attorneys allege the abuse occurred on a daily basis. All four priests have died.
Clements, who was known nationally for his adoption advocacy, denied an earlier abuse claim before his death in 2019. He was never charged.
Attorneys argued that responsibility extends beyond the priests and includes the Archdiocese of Chicago.
“The Archdiocese didn’t stumble into this. The Archdiocese knew, knew for more than a year,” Hart said.
According to attorneys, church records show Calicott was removed from ministry in 1994 because of abuse allegations and was named pastor of Holy Angels the following year.
Attorneys also cited what they said was a later admission by church officials that safeguards meant to monitor clergy were ineffective.
“The Chicago Archdiocese said years later, an effective monitoring system does not exist,” Hart said.
The Archdiocese of Chicago told ABC7 it does not comment on lawsuits.
Angela Walker of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests called for accountability.
“The church hierarchy needs to be held accountable, and they need to compensate these victims for all of the trauma that they suffered,” Walker said.
The lawsuits describe the alleged victims as “overwhelmingly poor, Black boys” in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Attorneys contend race played a role in how complaints were handled and have made those allegations part of their legal claims.
Asked whether the students would have received different support if they had been white, attorney Sean O’Malley responded, “Yes.”
Hart added: “Let me just say it in a different way. They’re not white. Not one.”
O’Malley said: “When you discriminate against children, against victims of child sex abuse, in terms of your indifference, in terms of your assessment of their credibility, you discriminate against them based off of race. We regard that as a form of malice.”
Attorneys said they expect dozens more lawsuits in the coming weeks as additional alleged survivors come forward.
They also established a helpline for people who want to share their stories: 833-705-0020.
For more resources, visit the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests at snapnetwork.org.