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  Priest Won't Be Charged Here
1 Sex-Assault Probe over for South Holland Clergyman

By Michael Kates
Chicago Tribune
May 19, 1992

The Cook County state's attorney's office will not press charges against a South Holland priest accused in March of sexual misconduct, a spokesman for the office said Monday.

But Rev. Norbert J. Maday, 53, a priest in St. Jude the Apostle Parish in South Holland, will not be returning to his parishioners any time soon.

"He will remain on administrative leave until all investigations are completed," said spokeswoman Sister Joy Clough of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.

Maday was relieved of his duties at the parish on March 4 and placed on administrative leave over charges he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old boy five years ago when he worked at a different parish. The incident allegedly occurred on an outing to Wisconsin in 1986 when Maday was an associate pastor in Our Lady of the Ridge Parish in Chicago Ridge, where he was assigned from 1983 to 1989.

Rev. Joseph Hudick, who came to the Chicago Ridge parish in 1984, said support for Maday has been widespread since the allegations surfaced. He said Maday had received so much mail that the parish had to set up a post office box for him.

"I always felt he wasn't the kind of guy who would do something like that," said Hudik, administrator of the parish. "I'm relieved."

The trip was not sponsored by the parish, but a private trip set up by Maday, Hudik said.

Rev. John Murphy of St. Jude's, who worked with Maday, also expressed relief, saying the allegations caught the parish by surprise.

The state's attorney's investigation did not uncover enough evidence to file charges, said spokesman Andy Knott. He said the state's attorney's office sent the archdiocese a letter with their findings late last week.

"We are grateful for a thorough investigation," Clough said. "Our responsibility in this matter is for the good of the community."

The incident is still under investigation by Wisconsin officials, Clough said.

She said the archdiocese is helping out with all investigations and might conduct its own investigation.

The charges came amid an intensive review of policy by the Chicago archdiocese regarding cases when priests are accused of sexual abuse.

Maday was the seventh priest in the archdiocese to be removed since last July because of such allegations of misconduct. The most serious case to date involves Rev. Robert Mayer, who was indicted last year and faces trial on charges of molesting a 14-year-old girl.

 
 

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