"We failed to listen to those who came forward and to meet their courage in dealing with Donald McGuire as we should have" ~Rev. Timothy Kesicki
In a
record-setting settlement, the Jesuit's must pay $19.6 million dollars to six male victims, abused by pedophile priest Donald McGuire. And make no mistake, not one, not two, not three, but MANY church leaders were aware...but did nothing.
"Jesuits made choices time and time again that demonstrated willful indifference," said Jeff Anderson, the plaintiffs' attorney. "Not one Jesuit official has yet to be prosecuted for their complicity in these crimes."
Internal church records released Tuesday show that Chicago Jesuits consciously concealed the crimes of convicted sex offender Donald McGuire for more than 40 years as the prominent Roman Catholic priest continued to sexually abuse dozens of children around the globe.
One letter written in 1970 by the Rev. John H. Reinke, then president of Loyola Academy in Wilmette, described McGuire's presence at the school as "positively destructive and corrosive." Instead of insisting he be removed from ministry or sent to treatment, Reinke suggested a transfer to Loyola University.
To date, lawyers have identified 28 men who have alleged abuse by McGuire from the 1960s until 2004. Eight have filed lawsuits.
Willful Recidivism
Even after being accused, tried and convicted in 2006 (sentence postponed awaiting appeal), McGuire continued abusing children
After a second victim from Loyola Academy came forward, Cook County authorities directed the two men to Wisconsin, where they said McGuire molested them during trips to the resort area near Lake Geneva between 1966 and 1968. Unlike Illinois' statute of limitations, Wisconsin's didn't preclude criminal prosecution.
McGuire was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to seven years behind bars and 20 years of probation. Though the prison sentence was postponed pending his appeal, McGuire was jailed three times for violating his probation. Before Wisconsin authorities could have his probation revoked, federal authorities charged McGuire in 2007 with traveling internationally to engage in sexual misconduct with a minor.
Many knew, but did nothing
Well, almost nothing. They did, as in the Jerry Sandusky case, warn the pedophile:
In 1995, the Rev. Francis Daly, then acting provincial, wrote to McGuire after a mother copied his superiors on a memo telling him to stay away from her son. Daly could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
"Let us hope that no more alleged incidents come to light," Daly wrote. "You must understand the complaints raised in these situations are serious. There must be no more. I am calling you to a prudence greater than that which you have shown in recent years."
Rev Daly wasn't the only one who knew:
February 1991 - Rev. Robert Wild Memo concerned about a boy who traveled and slept in the same room with McGuire
April 1993 - Rev. Joe Fessio Memo concerned about McGuire taking several boys to Russia "one of whom he was taking showers with and reading hard pornography." In this case, Rev. Fessio contacted the boy's father and "asked him to keep this quiet until he could represent this to McGuire's provincial."
1995 - Noted above, Rev. Daly warns...the pedophile, McGuire
October 2000 letter from parent - "[Our son] cried as he told us 'he couldn't take it anymore!' He stated that Father was overwhelming him with pornographic pictures and talking to him about sexual matters at every waking moment."