Crime & Safety

Former La Grange Priest Named in Archdiocese's Sex Abuse Documents

The former priest, who served at St. Cletus Church in La Grange, is among 30 Archdiocesan priests accused of abusing minors named in documents released this week by the Archdiocese of Chicago.

A former pastor at La Grange's St. Cletus Church is among the worst offenders named in the priest sex abuse scandal, according to documents released this week by the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Doings La Grange reported Thursday.

According to the documents, Thomas Job, who served at St. Cletus Church from 1976 to 1982, is accused of abusing several victims, with incidents dating back to the late 1960s. 

The documents made public Tuesday relate to 30 Archdiocesan priests accused of abusing minors at various times during the last 50 years, according to a news release from the Archdiocese of Chicago

Job, who was ordained in 1970, resigned from the priesthood in 1992 after multiple allegations of misconduct, and was formally laicized by the pope in 2010, according to the Doings

According to the documents on www.abusedinchicago.com/, allegations against Job include molestation, inappropriate discussions, oral sex, masturbation, showering with victims and providing alcohol to the victims. 

One victim, who initially came forward in 1983 and later formalized their allegation in 2006, reported Job taught him and other boys how to masturbate in his quarters in the rectory and at his home, according to the documents.

The Archdiocese of Chicago in 2007 determined there was reasonable cause to suspect Job had engaged in sexual misconduct of a minor, according to the documents.

According to a Chicago Tribune story from 2005, the Archdiocese of Chicago reached a settlement in October of that year with 24 adults who had accused 14 priests—including Job—of molesting them as children. 

"The Archdiocese acknowledges that its leaders made some decisions decades ago that are now difficult to justify. They made those decisions in accordance with the prevailing knowledge at the time. In the past 40 years, society has evolved in dealing with matters related to abuse. Our understanding of and response to domestic violence, sexual harassment, date rape, and clerical sexual abuse have undergone significant change and so has the Archdiocese of Chicago," the release reads. 

"While we complied with the reporting laws in place at the time, the Church and its leaders have acknowledged repeatedly that they wished they had done more and done it sooner, but now are working hard to regain trust, to reach out to victims and their families, and to make certain that all children and youth are protected."

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Korrina Grom contributed to this story.


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