SGGH Files Civil Lawsuit Against Archdiocese of Chicago on Behalf of Another Survivor of Child Sexual Abuse Perpetrated by Father John “Jack” Keehan, a Known Predator Priest Allowed To Stay in Active Ministry for Decades

Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC, announces the filing of a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse against the Catholic Bishop of Chicago (aka the Archdiocese of Chicago). The complaint outlines Fr. Keehan’s extensive history of abusing minors, which began in 1967, shortly after his ordination. In 1993, the Archdiocese's Professional Fitness Review Board determined that there was at least one "credible" allegation of child sexual abuse involving Fr. Keehan. Despite this finding, the Archdiocese allowed Fr. Keehan to continue his ministry at St. Ann School and Parish in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago throughout the 1990s. During this time, Fr. Keehan served as Head Pastor, overseeing the elementary school and parish, which had approximately 300 children. Parents and parishioners at St. Ann’s were never informed of Fr. Keehan history of abuse, and consequently he continued to prey upon unsuspecting minors. Fr. Keehan remained at St. Ann’s until around June 2002, when he was eventually placed in the Cardinal Stritch Retreat, a facility where the Archdiocese placed many of its pedophile priests.

For decades, the Archdiocese misled the public and parishioners regarding the serious dangers children faced at Archdiocesan parochial schools and parishes by predatory priests. For example, in late 1992, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin and the Archdiocese’s Director of Legal Services informed media outlets, including the Editorial Board of the Chicago Tribune and the Catholic Reporter, that no priest who has ever engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor will ever return to parish ministry or any type of ministry that includes access to minors. At the time they made these statements to the public, they knew they were not true. 

Plaintiff, now an adult, filed this case as John Doe 2 to protect his identity. He is the third former St. Ann student to file a lawsuit against the Archdiocese related to abuse perpetrated by Fr. Keehan at St. Ann’s. Plaintiff is the 6th known victim to report being abused by Fr. Keehan. The Archdiocese did not report any allegations of abuse perpetrated by Fr. Keehan to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), law enforcement, or the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office until 2002 (approximately 10 years after receiving written notice of allegations). 

A history of Fr. Keehan’s assignment history within the Archdiocese is below, with notes regarding locations where there have been allegations of sexual abuse misconduct with minors.

Plaintiff is represented by Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC Founding Partners Martin D. Gould, Mike R. Grieco, Bryce T. Hensley, and Attorney Valerie A. Letko. 

"For decades the Archdiocese of Chicago has denied or covered up the abuse by its priests, actively misled parishioners and the public regarding what it knew and when, impacting countless lives and denying them justice. This lawsuit which is the second lawsuit we have filed involving Fr. Keehan aims to obtain that justice for our client and encourage the other survivors of Fr. Keehan’s abuse to come forward so they can obtain justice and some sense of closure as well,"  said Founding Partner Martin Gould.

"Our client’s story is tragic. Not only because of the abuse he endured, but because it was entirely preventable. The Archdiocese’s own commission warned Cardinal Bernardin in 1992 about the irreparable harm that would occur if the Archdiocese didn’t adequately address clerical sexual abuse. Instead, the Archdiocese chose to allow this known-perpetrator priest to oversee approximately 300 children at St. Ann’s. This lawsuit is a direct result of the Archdiocese’s institutional failures, which have left a wake of destruction in the lives of countless survivors," said Attorney Valerie A. Letko.

If you are a former student, altar server, or parishioner who experienced sexual abuse at St. Ann’s or within the Archdiocese of Chicago, or have any helpful information, please contact Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC (justice@SGGHLaw.com; www.sgghlaw.com) to discuss your legal rights. Media inquiries, please contact Lynn Smith, lynn@lynnsmithtv.com.

Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC is a boutique national personal injury firm dedicated to advocating for victims of abuse and catastrophic injuries in high-stakes litigation. We pride ourselves on being Innovators of Law and Providers of Justice. Our attorneys have litigated and won cases nationwide, representing thousands of individuals, including hundreds of survivors of rape, sexual assault, and childhood sexual abuse in many of the highest profile abuse cases across the country. These cases include claims against institutions such as University of Michigan (Dr. Robert Anderson), Michigan State University (Dr. Larry Nasser), professional sports teams, Jeffrey Epstein, private and public schools, elite private boarding schools, orphanages, foster care programs, hospitals, mental health facilities, Fortune 500 companies, and numerous religious institutions and related entities. Recent successes include participating in global settlements valued at nearly $3 billion. For more information, visit https://www.sgghlaw.com.

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