Robert Prevost, who made history as the first American pope after taking the name Leo XIV, confronts allegations of mishandling sexual abuse cases during his tenure in Chicago and Peru.
According to Daily Mail, Pope Leo XIV is accused of "looking the other way" when confronted with child sex abuse allegations against priests in his Chicago church and South American parishes, raising concerns among survivors' advocacy groups.
The accusations primarily focus on two cases: his oversight of Father James Ray at St. John Stone Friary in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood and his handling of abuse allegations against two priests in Peru's Diocese of Chiclayo, where he served as bishop from 2014 to 2023.
The controversy stems from Prevost's decision to allow Father James Ray to live at St. John Stone Friary despite Ray's previous removal from public ministry due to accusations of sexually abusing minors. The friary was located just half a block from St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic elementary school, yet school administrators were not notified of Ray's presence.
Another priest with abuse allegations, Father Richard McGrath, also resided at the friary during Prevost's supervision. McGrath had been removed as principal of Providence Catholic High School after a student reported finding inappropriate images of minors on his phone. The situation led to a $2 million settlement with former student Robert Krankvich, who accused McGrath of forcing him to perform sexual acts while he was a child.
Eduardo Lopez de Casas, national vice president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), shared his perspective on the pope's past actions:
Staying silent is a sin. It's not what God wants us to do. Jesus wants us to stop these things, not make a heathy garden for sexual abuse to grow.
During his time leading the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, Prevost faced criticism for not opening formal church investigations into alleged sexual abuse by two priests. The accusations came from Ana Maria Quispe and her two younger sisters, who reported abuse by Father Eleuterio Vásquez Gonzáles dating back to 2007.
The alleged victims claimed that under Prevost's leadership in 2022, the diocese downplayed details and documentation sent to the Vatican about their allegations. This allegedly prevented the church from taking action against the accused priests. When Prevost met with the accusers in April 2022, he encouraged them to take their case to civil authorities while the church investigated.
The Catholic news outlet The Pillar noted that these allegations carry particular significance given Prevost's current role as head of the Dicastery for Bishops, which oversees complaints and investigations of episcopal negligence in abuse cases worldwide.
Providence Catholic High School maintains strong ties with the new pope, with current president Father John Merkelis describing him as "very intelligent, sensitive, pastoral and always one of the best in his class." The school community expressed excitement about his selection, with administrative assistant Theresa Thormeyer noting the students' enthusiasm.
Charles Collins, managing editor of the Catholic publication Crux, suggested that an American pope might be better positioned to address the ongoing abuse scandal. He cited the strong actions taken by the U.S. government and state authorities against priestly pedophilia as potentially beneficial for countries that haven't yet dealt with the issue effectively.
SNAP had previously warned the 135 eligible cardinals who selected Prevost about his alleged inaction on abuse allegations. The organization's efforts to prevent his selection were ultimately unsuccessful.
Robert Prevost's election as Pope Leo XIV marks a historic moment as the first American to lead the Catholic Church. His handling of sexual abuse allegations during his time in Chicago and Peru has drawn scrutiny from survivors' advocacy groups and religious news outlets. The controversy centers on his decisions regarding accused priests in Chicago and his response to abuse allegations in Peru's Diocese of Chiclayo. As he assumes leadership of the global Catholic Church, these past actions will likely continue to influence discussions about his ability to address the ongoing clergy abuse crisis.
