Priest With Western Springs Ties Accused Of Sex Abuse: Archdiocese

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Eight Chicago area parishes, including those in Western Springs and La Grange, have been notified that a priest has been asked to step aside because of an allegation of child sexual abuse, the Archdiocese of Chicago says

In a news release Saturday, the archdiocese said the Rev. William Killeen has been removed from the ministry pending an investigation into an allegation of child sexual abuse from about 40 years ago at St. Patricia Parish in Hickory Hills.

Killeen denies the allegation, the archdiocese said.

The local parishes are St. Cletus and St. Francis Xavier in La Grange and St. John of the Cross in Western Springs. Retired in 2019, Killeen still celebrates Mass at all three of those parishes, the news release said.

The archdiocese said it has begun its own investigation and offered the services of the archdiocese's victim assistance ministry to the person making the allegation.

The other parishes that have been notified are St. Alexander in Palos Heights, St. Michael in Orland Park, St. Christopher (now St. Augustine) in Midlothian and Infant Jesus of Prague (now St. Veronica) in Flossmoor.