Fr. William R. Leyhane
Died: 08/16/1982
Diocese: Archdiocese of Chicago IL
Ordained in 1919. Accused publicly in 10/19 of sexually abusing an eighth-grade boy at St. Ethelreda in 1971. His accuser, a diocesan deacon, said in 2019 that he had an after-school job in the rectory and the abuse happened a few times. He came forward to the archdiocese in 2001. The archdiocese’s review board found that the abuse was “possible.” Leyhane died at age 86 in 1982. Name included in 10/22 on the archdiocese’s list; allegation substantiated after Leyhane’s death.
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