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New Pope Leo XIV Faces Dark Allegations Over Handling of Abuse Case Near Catholic School
In a stunning development shaking the Catholic world, Pope Leo XIV—formerly Robert Prevost—finds his young papacy overshadowed by disturbing claims about his past.
A defrocked priest alleges that, during Prevost’s leadership of the Augustinian order’s Midwest Province in the late 1990s, he approved housing for the accused cleric mere steps from a Catholic elementary school and daycare center.
The accusation raises urgent questions about what the future pope knew—and when—and whether the Church once again looked away from abuse within its ranks.
Allegations Detail Controversial Housing Approval
James M. Ray, a former priest accused of s*xually abusing at least 13 minors, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Prevost gave him permission to stay at the St. John Stone Friary in Hyde Park, Chicago, despite Ray’s long history of abuse allegations dating back to 1990.
Records confirm Ray was under restricted ministry and had been moved between parishes before the Archdiocese of Chicago intervened in 2000 to find him housing. Ray claims the Augustinians, led by Prevost, were the only group to offer a residence—one located directly across from a daycare and a block from St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School.
Despite the friary’s proximity to children, school officials were never notified. Archdiocesan documents at the time inaccurately stated “there was no school in the immediate area.”
Conflicting Accounts and Institutional Denials
Ray alleges that both paperwork and conversations with Rev. James Thompson, who supervised him during his stay, confirmed Prevost’s approval. However, legal counsel for the Augustinians disputes this, saying Thompson alone controlled friary residency and that Prevost’s role was limited to setting guest housing rates.
Ray lived at the friary for two years until stricter USCCB guidelines following the Boston Globe’s 2002 exposé led to his removal from public ministry. He was defrocked in 2012.
History of Abuse and Victim Impact
Internal church files from 2014 detail Ray’s pattern of abuse, beginning with inappropriate physical contact like back rubs and lap-sitting, escalating to s*xual acts with boys aged 10 to 18. One report even includes Ray admitting to molesting a paraplegic man during a 1993 pilgrimage.
Ray’s own recent admissions downplay the harm, though he acknowledged wrongdoing when confronted.
Broader Questions About Prevost’s Past
Ray’s allegations compound scrutiny of Prevost’s tenure as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru (2014–2023), where victims say abuse claims were minimized and investigations stalled. A 2022 complaint to the Vatican reportedly went unheeded, and internal probes were dropped citing lack of evidence and expired statutes.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) says it warned cardinals about Prevost’s record before his election. “His every move will be under a microscope,” said SNAP’s vice president, Lopez de Casas.
Prevost’s Response and the Road Ahead
In a 2023 interview, Prevost emphasized the Church’s duty to confront abuse openly: “Silence is not the solution. We must be transparent and honest, because otherwise their wounds will never heal.”
Despite the controversy, Ray oddly expressed hopefulness about Prevost’s papacy, calling it “positive vibes.”
Conclusion: A Papacy Under the Shadow of Past Failures
Pope Leo XIV’s rise to the papacy is now clouded by troubling claims that he knowingly allowed a convicted abuser to live near children, raising broader concerns about his past approach to abuse cases. While defenders argue his authority was limited, survivors demand full accountability.
This crisis highlights the Church’s ongoing battle with its legacy of s*xual abuse and institutional silence. For many victims, the true test of Pope Leo XIV’s leadership will not be in rhetoric but in the transparency, reforms, and justice he pursues—beginning with a candid reckoning of his own history.