Appalling Jesuit Cover-up
Top Jesuit officials endangered children for over four decades and refused to cooperate with authorities in criminal investigation
(Chicago) New information to be filed in Cook County Circuit on Monday by attorneys for three men who were repeatedly sexually abused by Chicago-based Jesuit priest Donald McGuire, will document a four decade cover-up by top Jesuit officials of the priest’s sexual rampage.
The documents are contained in a motion to seek punitive damages in the lawsuit the attorneys have filed against the Jesuit’s Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus on behalf of the three men.
Jeff Anderson, the St. Paul, Minnesota-based clergy abuse attorney, who along with Chicago attorney Marc Pearlman represents the Plaintiffs, said justification for punitive damages in the case is based on Jesuits officials having been aware of McGuire’s sexual predatory behavior over a 40 year period but still allowed him to have free reign with access to children.
“This is an appalling demonstration of top Jesuit officials choosing to endanger the children and protect themselves. These documents show that as recently as 2008, and for more than 46 years, Jesuit officials on three continents had at least 28 reports of suspicious behavior by McGuire. This is so current and comparable to the recent revelations of the Philadelphia Grand Jury that we are reminded once again that little has changed. I am as scared as I am sad that, because of the choices made by top Jesuit officials so many children remained at grave risk,” Anderson said.
McGuire was ordained in 1961 and at one time assigned to the prestigious Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois. However, over the next 40 years he spent much of his time as a priest moving between Europe and the United States conducting “retreats.” As early as 1962 the Jesuits learned that McGuire was suspected of having “much relations” with young boys.
Co-counsel Pearlman said many details in the motion for punitive damages bolster the claim that the Jesuit had “total disregard” for the safety of children. “From 1962-2007, the Jesuits received over 30 discrete opportunities to protect children. What these Jesuits officials did is just unconscionable. This goes beyond careless; this is so immorally self- serving that it’s almost impossible to comprehend.”
Since 2007, attorneys for the Plaintiffs in this case have filed five separate lawsuits on behalf of six different victims against McGuire and the Jesuits in Cook County Circuit Court. Three of the victims have settled their cases and therefore this motion is on behalf of the remaining three survivors. Two other McGuire victims filed lawsuits in 2003 which have been settled.
McGuire, who was indicted for his crimes in Wisconsin, Illinois and Arizona, is currently serving a 25 year sentence in federal prison.
A complete timeline of Donald McGuire’s history follows this release.
###
Note: Copy of the motion for punitive damages can be found in the “Documents” section of www.AndersonAdvocates.com
The Jesuits and Donald McGuire SJ/A Management History is available at: http://www.bishop-accountability.org/docs/jesuits/McGuire_Donald/Punitive_Damages_Motion/
TIMELINE DONALD MCGUIRE
1949
Donald McGuire joins the Society of Jesus.
1961
Donald McGuire is ordained and assigned to Loyola Academy, Wilmette, IL. The Jesuits send McGuire to Europe.
Feb 5, 1962
A letter is sent from Munich, Germany indicating that McGuire engaged in very suspicious behavior with minor boys. (See Exhibit 2).
Dec. 2, 1964 A letter from the Austrian Jesuits to the Chicago Provincial indicates that McGuire had “much relations” with several young boys. McGuire travels extensively to Ireland with one boy causing police to investigate his actions. (See Exhibit 3).
1966 McGuire begins abusing Vic Bender, which included sexual, physical and mental abuse. The abuse continues almost daily for two years while Vic bender lives in McGuire’s room at Loyola Academy (which is not a boarding school for students).
1969 McGuire begins abusing a 15 year old boy at Loyola Academy (John Doe 84), who “runs away” and tells a Chicago Archdiocese priest Fr. Charles Schlax about the abuse. Fr. Schlax calls Loyola Academy and speaks with Fr. John Reinke, who is not surprised, and instead comments “we thought something was wrong.” (See Exhibit 7).
11/29/1969 Fr. Schlax sends a letter to Fr. Reinke outlining his concerns about McGuire’s perversion and the seriousness of the situation. (See Exhibit 8).
1/16/1970 McGuire’s teaching duties at Loyola Academy are suddenly terminated in the middle of the academic year. The Jesuits arrange McGuire’s departure to seem perfectly normal, and explain it in terms of a “sabbatical.” (See Exhibits 9, 10, and 11).
1/21/1970 Fr. Reinke provides the Jesuit provincial with a detailed account of the numerous issues with McGuire including having young males sleep in his room. (See Exhibit 5).
1976 McGuire receives permission from the Chicago Provincial to teach at the University of San Francisco.
1980 McGuire is removed from the University of San Francisco and its Jesuit community.
3/30/1981 Fr. Wood from the California Province of Jesuits writes Fr. Kline to clarify that McGuire was not on leave or sabbatical from University of San Francisco, but was considered gone for good and could only return if he underwent “serious psychological evaluation and therapy.” (See Exhibit 12).
5/1981 In spite of McGuire’s bizarre personality and lifestyle issues, the Jesuit Vice Provincial of California writes to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of San Francisco asking him to rehire McGuire.
5/8/1981 The Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences refuses to recommend this request, and the Vice President of the College refuses to approve the request due to McGuire’s highly questionable acts in regard to use of funds, entering into contractual commitments, and interactions with a student. (See Exhibit 13).
7/1984 The Jesuits assign McGuire to work at Santa Fe Communications in Southern California.
1984 While in California, McGuire abuses John Doe 129, beginning when he is 6 years old and ending in 1997 when John Doe 129 turns 19 years old.
11/1984 The Jesuits dismiss McGuire from the California assignment after the Bishop of Los Angeles permanently terminates his faculties, demanding
that McGuire leave the diocese of Los Angeles by 1/1/1985. (See Exhibits 15 and 16).
1985 McGuire returns to Chicago.
1987 The Jesuits assign McGuire to the Jesuit Community at Canisius House in Evanston, IL
1988 Left unsupervised by the Jesuits on his retreat ministry, McGuire abuses John Doe 117 while conducting retreats in Phoenix. The abuse continues until 1994.
1990 McGuire begins abusing 15 year old John Doe 130, one of his “assistants.”
2/1991 The Chicago Province is contacted by Br. Ricardo Palacio, Director of the Christian Brother Retreat House in St. Helena, CA, indicating that McGuire has been traveling with a 16-17 year old boy from Alaska, that the boy has not slept in separate room from McGuire, and that the boy has been seen with his hair askew and shirt untucked with McGuire laying on the bed. A call was made to the boy’s mother, who indicated her son had changed in some way. The Jesuits conduct no investigation. (See Exhibit 17).
2/1991 The Jesuits impose the first set of “guidelines.” McGuire is not to travel with anyone under the age of 18, and is to refrain from having any contact the 16-17 year old boy from Alaska without at least one of his parents being present. (See Exhibit 20).
4/26/1993 Fran Daly, Socius of Chicago Province, learns that McGuire was on a trip to Russia accompanied by a 16 year old boy with whom McGuire was taking showers, reading hard pornography, and masturbating. (See Exhibit 23).
4/27/1993 The attorney for the family of the 16 year old boy, contacts the Jesuits to report that McGuire would purchase explicit pornography, that McGuire and the young boy would look at it together, that McGuire and the boy roomed together, that they would take showers together, that the boy would wash McGuire’s body and give McGuire massages, that they would be naked in the room together, and that the boy would masturbate in front of McGuire. (See Exhibit 24).
4/30/1993 The Jesuits are informed that McGuire may be travelling with a 15 year old boy who was close to McGuire (John Doe 130) and that the boy may accompany McGuire to a scheduled retreat in Phoenix. The Jesuits do not investigate. (See Exhibit 27).
4/30/1993 At a meeting with Jesuit superiors, McGuire admits that traveling with 16 year old boy to Russia was a violation of the Guidelines imposed on him, and arrangements are made for him to go to St. Luke’s Institute in Maryland for an “evaluation.”
5/1993 Despite knowing that McGuire violated his guidelines, and that 15 year old John Doe might be travelling with McGuire, the Jesuits give McGuire permission to conduct the retreat in Phoenix the week before he was to be admitted
to St. Luke’s for his evaluation. (See Exhibit 26).
5/1993 McGuire abuses another boy, 13 year old John Doe 117, who was attending the retreat in Phoenix with his family. (See Exhibit 28).
5/9/1993 McGuire goes to St. Luke’s Institute in Maryland for an evaluation.
5/11/1993 The father of the 16 year old boy who traveled to Russia with McGuire asks the Jesuits to reach out to McGuire’s “other victims,” including John Doe 130, McGuire’s “other boy assistant of several years.” (See Exhibit 37).
6/1993 McGuire checks into St. John Vianney Hospital in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, which specializes in behavioral issues including sexual disorders. McGuire is diagnosed with a sexual behavior disorder and treated for approximately 6 months.
5/10/1993 The Jesuits are again specifically asked by the father of the 16 year old boy who traveled to Russia with McGuire if they are doing anything to check on John Doe 130. (See Exhibit 38). The Jesuits do nothing.
7/3/1993 The attorney for the family of the 16 year old boy who traveled to Russia with McGuire asks yet again for the Jesuits to provide pastoral assistance to “other potential victims,” specifically John Doe 130. (See Exhibit 39). The Jesuits do nothing.
7/13/1993 Fr. Daly makes a note in the Jesuit files of all of the warnings that the Jesuits have received regarding John Doe 130. However, the Jesuits continue to ignore these warnings and never contact John Doe 130 or his mother. Fr. Daly later feebly attempts to explain the Jesuits’ non-action away by testifying that it was “the parent’s or victim’s responsibility to come forward.” (See Exhibits 4 and 40).
1/28/ 1994 McGuire is released from residential treatment at St. John Vianney and returns to Chicago. Fr. Schaeffer issues another set of guidelines to McGuire to, among other things, not have any unsupervised conduct with minors. (See Exhibits 34 and 35). McGuire refuses to participate in the after care program recommended by St. John’s.
6/1994 The Jesuits receive yet another call about McGuire’s abuse of another boy when McGuire was at Loyola Academy during the 1960’s. (See Exhibit 36). The Jesuits do nothing.
2/17/1995 Jesuit Fr. Daly issues a third set of guidelines to McGuire to not travel with anyone overnight under the age of 21, and to exercise “extreme caution” to avoid situations where he would be behind closed doors with anyone under the age of 21. (See Exhibit 44). As in the past, McGuire is left to self monitor.
1995-1998 The Jesuits permit McGuire to continue maintaining an active retreat schedule and to travel the world with young male personal assistants.
1998 Despite numerous complaints regarding inappropriate conduct with minors, residential treatment for a sexual disorder and three sets of guidelines restricting McGuire’s travel/activities with minors, Provincial Baumann inexplicably signs a letter of good standing for McGuire which states that “there is nothing to our knowledge in [McGuire’s] background which would cause us to restrict any ministry with minors.” (See Exhibit 46).
Summer 1999 John Doe 116 shows up at the
Canisius House in Evanston
to work with McGuire. Over the next 5
years, he is abused sexually, physically and mentally almost daily, and in
several different states and countries.
Early 2000 McGuire seeks
another letter of good standing from the Jesuits so he can minister in Las Vegas. Fr. McGurn writes to Fr. Baumann indicating
that given the way the letter was worded Fr. Baumann cannot sign it. McGurn summarizes McGuire’s “history of
inappropriate incidents with male adolescents” and the records in McGuire’s
file that go back to 1991, but “refer to a history of incidents in the years
prior to that.” (See Exhibit 48).
6/1/2000 The Jesuits are
notified by Fr. Naucke, the Socius of the California Jesuit
Province, that McGuire
may be the legal guardian of 14 year old John Doe 116, and that they were going
to be living together. (See Exhibit
49). At that time, John Doe 116 is
basically living at Canisius House when he is not at school. The Jesuits do not investigate other than to
ask McGuire several months later whether he is the legal guardian which McGuire
denies. The Jesuits consider McGuire
assuming a legal obligation to be a “serious situation,” but remarkably claim
that they were not concerned about whether John Doe 116 was spending time alone
with and being abused by McGuire. (See
Exhibit 30). At the time, John Doe was
being abused by McGuire on an almost daily basis.
8/12/2000 McGuire signs as
legal guardian of John Doe 116 on St. Lawrence Seminary student documents. (See Exhibit 50).
9/25/2000
and
10/25/2000 The Jesuits receive
notice from two more families regarding suspicious behavior by McGuire with
their sons, including looking at pornography, massages, and that one of his
“aides” sleeps in the same bed as him.
(See Exhibits 51 and 52).
10/2000 Fr. McGurn questions
McGuire about being the guardian for John Doe 116. McGuire denies the allegation and the Jesuits
take McGuire at his word, performing no further investigation.
12/13/2000 Fr. McGurn drafts a
detailed memorandum to the Jesuit Provincial recounting McGuire’s history and
that the Jesuits concluded in 1993 that McGuire “does have a sexuality problem
and he even admitted to that.” (See
Exhibit 53).
12/2000 Fr. McGurn while
speaking to McGuire about the new September and October 2000 reports, learns
that McGuire is traveling to India
accompanied by yet another young assistant.
Fr. McGurn asks McGuire whether the assistant is over 21, but does not
get a clear answer. Remarkably, Fr.
McGurn simply drops the matter. (See Exhibit 30).
2/13/2001 The Jesuits issue,
and McGuire signs, a fourth set of guidelines directing McGuire, among other
things, to not travel or spend the night with anyone under the age of 30, to
not have an assistant in his travels unless approved by his Superior, and to
undergo more psychiatric treatment. (See
Exhibit 58).
2001 McGuire
begins abusing 13 year old John Doe 118 (the younger brother of John Doe 117)
under the guise of spiritual counseling during his visits to Arizona. The abuse continues until 2002.
7/2001 Provincial
Baumann receives a letter from a Jesuit official advising him that the youth
who had previously traveled to India
with McGuire in December 2000 was still traveling with McGuire as his
assistant. The letter explains McGuire’s
relationship with the boy as “homoerotically-tinged and inappropriately
dependent.” (See Exhibit 59). Having this young assistant directly violates
the guidelines issued to McGuire, but the Jesuits do nothing.
July 2002 The Jesuits learn
that McGuire has scheduled a special retreat for minor children in California. (See Exhibit 60). McGuire denies this and the Jesuits accept
him at his word.
July 2002 The Jesuits
receive word from the California
Province that McGuire is
still traveling with high school boys, in this case John Doe 116. In a memo about the phone call it says “[F]or what it is worth, I pass along the
following communication”. , (See Exhibits 61 and 62).
August 7,
2002 Letter from Jesuits
detailing history and status of McGuire which admits that McGuire has not been
“well-monitored.” Letter indicates that
Jesuits want to prepare a “canonical warning” to McGuire, but don’t want to
have to communicate with the Archdiocese of Chicago about McGuire’s situation
because he might lose his faculties i.e., ability to perform public
misistry. (See Exhibit 63).
December 1,
2002 McGuire receives canonical
warning, which limits McGuire’s mission to provide ministry to communities of
women within the geographic boundaries of the Archdiocese of Chicago. (See Exhibit 64).
June 26,
2002 Fr. McGurn
informs the Archdiocese of Chicago that the Jesuits cannot issue a letter of
good standing for McGuire. (See Exhibit
65).
July 2, 2003 The Archdiocese of
Chicago suspends McGuire’s faculties. McGuire remains in good standing with the
Jesuits. (See Exhibit 66).
June/July
2003 The Jesuits inform McGuire’s local superior that the Chicago Archdiocese has suspended his faculties. Fr. McGurn characterizes this action as “most regrettable” and “extremely unfortunate.” McGuire is reassigned to the Woodlawn Jesuit Community near the University of Chicago. (See Exhibit 67).
August 2003 The first of several civil lawsuits is filed against McGuire and Jesuits.
Late 2003 The authorities in Walworth County, Wisconsin begin a criminal investigation of Vic Bender’s and John Doe 84’s claims of abuse by McGuire while travelling in Wisconsin.
April 2004 Jesuit officials help
McGuire avoid being interviewed by an investigator from the Walworth County
Sheriff’s department, including Fr. Gschwend and/or the Jesuits’ legal counsel
calling McGuire to warn him that an officer was waiting for him and to not
return home. The Jesuit priest who
answered the door and spoke to the officer wrote a memo of his reflection which
stated that he felt like they were abetting McGuire and helping him hide from a
legitimate police investigation. (See
Exhibit 69).
1/6/2006 A Jesuit attorney
writes to Wisconsin District Attorney Phil Koss to say “As I indicated to you
over the telephone, we have very little with respect to Father McGuire.” The letter then purports to describe what is
in McGuire’s file, but fails to mention any of the thousands of pages of
documents that the Jesuits possessed directly related to allegations reported
against McGuire over a period of 40 years.
(See Exhibit 71). The Jesuits
engage in a pattern of obstruction and misrepresentations to the Wisconsin authorities through McGuire’s criminal trial.
February
2006 McGuire is convicted in Wisconsin on five counts of sexual assault of a minor. Throughout the entire criminal trial, Jesuit leadership permits McGuire to wear his clerical collar in a clear violation of the Dallas Charter, which set the standards within the Church for priests accused of sexual abuse with minors.
2007 John Doe 116 reports his abuse to state and federal authorities.
June 2007 Sixteen months after the Wisconsin jury convicts McGuire, and 45 years after the Jesuits receive the first notice of McGuire’s deviant behavior,
the Jesuits dismiss McGuire as a Jesuit on grounds of sexual misconduct.
November 2,
2007 McGuire is indicted in Federal court in Chicago for the abuse of John Doe 116.
February
2008 McGuire is formally defrocked and permanently removed from all clerical functions by Rome.
April 2008 McGuire is indicted in Arizona for molesting John Doe 117 and John Doe 118.
October 24,
2008 McGuire is convicted in Federal court in Chicago of engaging in sexual acts with John Doe 116 while traveling abroad between 2000-2002.
February
2009 McGuire is sentenced to 25 years in prison.