Fr. Edward Stefanich
Ordained: 1965
- 1966-1969 St. Joseph’s, Addison, IL (JOL)
- 1970-1974 Christ the King, Lombard, IL (JOL)
- 1975-1977 Visitation, Elmhurst, IL (JOL)
- 1978-1987 St. Scholastica, Woodridge, IL (JOL)
- 1988-2019 Unknown
Fr. Edward Stefanich was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Joliet in 1965. At least three survivors have come forward and accused Fr. Stefanich of child sexual abuse. In 1986, a girl’s parents reported allegations of sexual abuse of their daughter by Fr. Stefanich to the Diocese of Joliet. After no action was taken, the parents went to the police and in 1987, Fr. Stefanich pled guilty to sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl at St. Scholastica. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail, 1 year of counseling, and was laicized. In 2003, Fr. Stefanich was named in a civil lawsuit which accused him of repeated sexual abuse of a 12-year-old boy from 1969 to 1970 at Christ the King Elementary School. Fr. Stefanich was named on the Diocese of Joliet’s list of “Diocesan Priests with Credible Allegation(s) of Sexual Misconduct with Minors Made Against Them While Serving in the Diocese of Joliet” with “Substantiated Allegations.” Fr. Stefanich’s whereabouts, status as a priest, and whether he has had access to children since 1988 are unknown.