Three Former Palatine Priests Named in Newly Released Archdiocese Sex Abuse Files

Lauren Traut contributed to this article

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 Thursday. “Child abuse is a crime and a sin.”

Three former priests at St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Church in Palatine are among the priests named in the recently released files. All of the allegations of sex abuse occurred before the men worked at the Palatine parishes, according to the Daily Herald. Those accused include:

• Walter Edward Huppenbauer: Allegations of sex abuse occurred between 1961 and 1963. He is accused of fondling a female under clothes, kissing her and rubbing her stomach.
• Daniel Peter Buck: A girl alleged Buck and her had an inappropriate when she was 11 that included touching breasts, fondling genitals and back rubs, the Daily Herald reports. Two sisters later came forward to allege Buck fondled them while they attended grade school at St. Luke Parish in River Forest, the newspaper reports.
• David Francis Braun: Braun is accused of abusing six minors but that number could be higher, according to the Daily Herald.

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.