Former St. Damian Priest Named in Newly Released Archdiocese Sex Abuse Files

The Archdiocese of Chicago Thursday released a list of 36 priests with sex abuse allegations against them, in an effort to publicize sex abuse hidden for decades.

“We cannot change the past but we hope we can rebuild trust through honest and open dialogue,” said Francis Cardinal George, in a statement released overnight. “Child abuse is a crime and a sin.”

A former priest at St. Damian is among the 14 priests named who served in Southland parishes at some point in their careers. William Cloutier began serving at the parish in 1977, and allegedly engaged in sex abuse acts in 1979, according to the records. The alleged abuse took place 10 to 15 times over a six-month period.

A letter from the victim’s lawyer dated in 1999 alleged that Cloutier molested him, in addition to kidnapping and assaulting him with a handgun. In documents published by the Archidocese, Cloutier speaks of alleged abuse against two high school-aged boys, and one male college student.

Following several complaints of sexual abuse against him, Cloutier was put under special monitoring in 1987. He resigned from the priesthood in 1991 and was moved to special housing, ”for people like me,” he wrote in an email published in the documents.

“I will do whatever I can to help other victims find peace,” Cloutier wrote. “I was part of an evil system, and I will do [whar] I can to bring it down.”

The records are the second wave in revelation of abuse covered up for decades. The release comes after 6,000 similar documents were published in January, listing 30 abusive priests as part of a legal settlement with victims. Combined, the documents cover all the priests who have substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct with minors, with the exception of two priests where ongoing processes do not permit release, according to the Archdiocese. The new information included more than 15,000 additional records, with allegations tracing back to the early 1950s. The files only include those priests against whom substantiated claims were brought, and not those who died before the accusers came forward.

No priest with even one substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor serves in ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago today, the Archdiocese states. Ninety-two percent of the cases included in the documents occurred prior to 1988. The Archdiocese states that all of the priests involved in this document release are out of ministry. Fourteen are deceased.

Other Southland priests listed:

Kenneth Ruge, Most Holy Redeemer in Evergreen Park

Anthony Vader, Holy Name of Mary Church in Morgan Park

Gary Miller, St. Bernadette Church in Evergreen Park

John E. Heffernan, Injant Jesus of Prague in Flossmoor

The complete documentation can be found on the Archdiocese’s website.