List Of Accused Clergy Includes Priests Who Served In New Lenox

NEW LENOX, IL — A new list recently released by attorneys representing victims of sexual abuse by priests 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."

The list includes several priests from the area, including several who were assigned in New Lenox at some point during their priesthoods. It also 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.

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 lists includes a synopsis of the allegations and timeline of where each priest served. The authors of the report note that most cases are allegations and have not necessarily been substantiated, and convictions are included.

The excerpt below shows when named priests served in the listed towns. It does not necessarily indicate that allegations stem from the time served at that church.

Priests who served in New Lenox who were named on the list include:

Fr. Lee Ryan

In 2010, a survivor accused Ryan of child sexual abuse in 1974 at Providence Catholic High School. According to the report, Ryan was removed from ministry in 2010, temporarily returned in 2012, only to be removed again later that year. He has been named in at least one civil lawsuit. Ryan 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.” He died in 2016.

Fr. Harold Jochem, O.F.M.

1978-1989, St. Jude Church

According to the report, in 2004, a civil suit was filed by a man alleging that he was abused as a youth at St. Jude's Parish in New Lenox, between 1974 and 1978 by Jochem and Jeffery Salwach.

The suit alleged that Jochem and Salwach forced the boy to engage in group sex, smoke marijuana, and drink alcohol. Jochem was deceased at the time the suit was brought forth.

1986-2017, Providence Catholic High School; Augustianian Friary

According to the report, in late 2017, a student reported having seen an image of a naked boy on McGrath’s cellphone. McGrath refused to turn over his cell phone to police and escaped criminal investigation. In 2018, McGrath was named in a lawsuit alleging he sexually abused a boy from 1995 to 1996, while he was the president at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox. In September 2018, he was reportedly transferred from Providence to the St. John Stone Friary. In December 2018, McGrath is said to have gone missing from the Friary. He is believed to be living alone and unsupervised in an apartment on Chicago’s North side.

Fr. Jeffrey Salwach O.F.M.

In 2003, Salwach was suspended as a result of sexual abuse allegations and transferred to Texas. According to the report, a 2004 lawsuit alleged that Salwach abused a youth at St. Jude’s Parish in New Lenox between 1974 and 1978 when Salwach was a religious brother prior to ordination. Salwach was believed to be residing in St. Louis as of 2014.