New List Names Accused Cook County Clergy Among 400 Priests

COOK COUNTY, IL — More than two-dozen priests, religious clergy and lay persons from Cook County are included in a new list released Wednesday by attorneys representing victims of sexual abuse by priests. The list names roughly 400 accused priests, about twice as many as have been previously identified by Illinois' six Catholic dioceses. Called the Anderson Report, the document claims to "reveal the horrifying scale of priests sexually assaulting minors to the present day." It includes priests who were assigned to parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Diocese of Belleville, Diocese of Joliet, Diocese of Peoria, Diocese of Rockford and Diocese of Springfield, as well as religious clergy and lay persons accused of abuse.

Arlington Heights:

• Fr. Robert Peter Bowman: St. James, Arlington Heights (2001-2011, 1978-1995); died in 2011
• Fr. Robert E. Meyer: St. Edna Church, Arlington Heights (1982-1983) ; laicized in 2010; unknown (2011-2019)
• Fr. William Lupo: Our Lady of the Wayside, Arlington Heights (1986-1990); unknown (2003-2019); laicized in 2014

Buffalo Grove:

• Fr. Jesus P. Garza: St. Mary Parish, Buffalo Grove (1998); unknown (2001 to 2019)
• Fr. Peter Daniel Buck: St. Mary Parish, Buffalo Grove (2001-2002); unknown (2011-2019)
• Fr. Emmanuel Pallakunnen (Pallakunnel): "In 2006, a woman reported to the Archdiocese that Fr. Pallakunnen sexually abused her at St. Mary’s parish in Buffalo Grove when she was nine years old; he died in 1978.

Des Plaines

• Fr. Thomas F. Cannon: St. Zachary, Des Plaines (1970-1973); died in 1973
• Fr. John Joseph (Jack) Keough: Our Lady of Hope, Des Plaines (1960-1965; in residence from 1967-1968 ); Our Lady of Loretto, Community of O’Hare International Airport, Des Plaines, (1966-1981); unknown (2009-2019)
• Fr. William Lupo: St. Mary, Des Plaines (1979-1986); laicized in 2014; unknown (2003-2019)
• Fr. Robert E. Mayer: St. Stephen Protomartyr, Des Plaines (1984-1990); unknown (2011-2019)
• Fr. Ralph S. Strand: St. Mary, Des Plaines (1986-1991); died in 2013; "The abuse is said to have occurred over a two-year period, beginning in early 1990, when the boy was serving as an altar boy at St. Mary’s in Des Plaines."
• Fr. Howard J. Strum (Sturm): Maryville Academy, Des Plaines (1951-1960); unknown (1976-2018)

Barrington:

• Fr. Michael E. Dorrler, S.J.: Bellarmine Hall, Barrington (1997); Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus Provincial Office; Bellarmine Hall, Barrington (1998); unknown (2011-2019)
• Fr. Mark. A. Finan, S.J.: Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House, Barrington (1965-1967); died in 1993
• Fr. Donald J. McGuire, S.J.: Bellarmine Hall, Barrington (1982-1989); died in 2017
• Fr. Louis P. Rogge, O. Carm.: Carmelite Fathers Provincial House, Barrington (1986-1991); died in 2007

Park Ridge

• Fr. Walter George DeRoeck: St. Paul of the Cross, Park Ridge (1971-1976); unknown (2003-2019)
• Robert Friese: Deacon at Mary, Seat of Wisdom, Park Ridge (1977); unknown (1988-2019)
• Fr. John Baptist Ormechea, C.P.: Passionist Provincial Office, Special Assignment, Park Ridge (2013- 2018); unknown (2018-2019)
• Fr. David Francis Braun: Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge (1971-1974); died in 1989
• Fr. Edmund F. Burke: Retired; Resurrection Pavilion, Greenwood, Park Ridge (1985-1988)

Elgin

• Fr. Harlan B. Clapsaddle: St. Edward Central Catholic High School, Elgin (1982-1987); St. Thomas More Church, Elgin (1979-1981); unknown (2018-2019)
• Fr. James Gaynor: St. Mary’s, Elgin (1966); died in 1991
• Msgr. Ivan M. Rovira : St. Josephs in Elgin (1972); unknown (2004-2019)

Palatine

• Fr. David Francis Braun: St. Thomas of Villanova, Palatine (1985-1990); retired in 1992; unknown (1992-1997); died in 1997
• Fr. Daniel Peter Buck: St. Thomas Villanova, Palatine (1984-1989); unknown (2011 to 2019)
• Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan: Retired at St. Joseph’s Home, Palatine (2006-2008); died in 2016
• Fr. George S. Hopf: Retired (MIL) – St. Joseph Home For The Elderly, Palatine, IL (1994-2003); died in 2004
• Fr. Walter Edward Huppenbauer: St. Thomas of Villanova, Palatine (1971-1977; 1983-1994); retired at St. Joseph’s Home, Palatine (2005-2009); died in 2014; also St. Gilbert, Grayslake (1977-1983)
• Fr. Edward J. Maloney: Mission San Juan Diego, Palatine (1998-2002); died in 2018
• Fr. Marion Joseph Snieg: St. Thomas Villanova, Palatine (1993-2003); died in 2005

Many of the priests named in the Anderson Report were previously identified in court cases, but some don't appear on dioceses' official lists. Diocese lists often do not include accusations against priests that were not substantiated or accusations made against priests that had died.

The report, from Jeff Anderson & Associates of St. Paul, Minnesota, claims "it is believed that the Dioceses in Illinois have not publicly made available the full histories and their knowledge of their sexually abusive agents and employees."

The information in the report comes from "publicly available sources, claims made by survivors to
the dioceses and religious orders responsible for the offenders, and legal settlements made as a
result of claims for child sexual abuse," according to the document. "While lawsuits were filed involving many of these alleged perpetrators, the vast majority of the claims against these individuals have been settled or have not been fully evaluated in a civil or criminal court" and "in most cases the allegations have not been proved or substantiated in a court of law."

The roughly 400 priests listed in the Anderson Report is far lower than the 690 accused clergy former Attorney General Lisa Madigan said her office identified in its 2018 investigation.

View the full Anderson Report here.

Check back for updates on this developing story.