When Robert Prevost was named the new head of the Vatican earlier this month, it marked a significant moment for the Catholic Church.
But along with the excitement came some serious accusations.
Prevost, who served as the leader of the Midwest Province of the Augustinian order, now faces claims that he turned a blind eye to the Church’s sexual abuse scandals during his time in Chicago.
One of the most explosive claims comes from James M Ray, a former priest who was defrocked after being accused of sexually abusing at least 13 children.
Ray says that Prevost personally approved his move to a monastery in Hyde Park, just steps away from a Catholic elementary school, despite knowing about the abuse allegations against him.
How a Former Priest Ended Up Near a School Despite Abuse Allegations
James Ray, who is on a list of accused offenders maintained by the Archdiocese of Chicago, was under “limited ministry with restrictions” starting in 1990
. But despite this, he continued to serve at several parishes.
In 2000, the Archdiocese helped find him housing where he supposedly wouldn’t pose a threat.
However, Ray ended up staying for two years at the St. John Stone Friary, less than a block from St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School and right across an alley from a child care center.
Neither the school nor the child care center were informed about his arrival.
Church officials later claimed incorrectly that no school was nearby.
Ray explained to the Chicago Sun-Times that he needed a new place to live because his previous home was being torn down.
According to him, the archdiocese’s vicar for priests, who reported to the late Cardinal Francis George, reached out to church organizations for housing options.
The Augustinians were the only ones to respond, and it was Prevost—now Pope Leo XIV—who gave the final approval for Ray to move into the friary.
Church Officials’ Attempts to Distance Prevost From Responsibility
While Ray was supposed to be closely monitored at the friary, which was the justification for not notifying the school, lawyer Michael Airdo, representing the Augustinians, seems to push responsibility away from Prevost.
Airdo says that the late Cardinal George and Rev. James Thompson, Ray’s on-site monitor, were the ones in charge of accepting new residents, not Prevost.
Ray stayed at the monastery until new church rules kept accused priests physically away from children.
He was removed from public ministry that same year, after the Boston Globe’s groundbreaking reports on abuse shook the Church. Ray was defrocked ten years later in 2012.
Ray’s Own Words Reveal Complex Feelings About the Past
Despite the gravity of the allegations, Ray insists that his faith remains strong.
He told the Sun-Times, “I felt abandoned by the Church, but never felt abandoned by God.”
He described the pain he feels whenever people bring up the abuse accusations.
Documents released by the Archdiocese in 2014 revealed the extent of Ray’s abuse, showing victims aged 10 to 18, with some subjected to inappropriate touching that escalated over time.
Records also include Ray’s admission to an incident in 1993 at an airport in Medjugorje, where he confessed to masturbating a paraplegic man who asked for it.
A 2023 report from the Illinois Attorney General concluded that Ray molested at least 13 children.
When confronted about these allegations, Ray tried to minimize his actions, claiming he was only giving a back massage to a young man over 20.
He acknowledged he was wrong but insisted the victims were not children.
Prevost’s Troubling Track Record on Abuse Investigations
This isn’t the first time Prevost has been linked to mishandling abuse allegations.
During his time leading the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru from 2014 to 2023, he faced criticism for downplaying sexual abuse claims against two priests.
Victims say the Diocese deliberately withheld documentation from the Vatican, blocking any real investigation.
The Pillar, a Catholic investigative news outlet, reported that Prevost met with the accusers in 2022 and urged them to seek help from civil authorities while the Church’s internal investigation stalled.
That probe was eventually shelved, citing lack of evidence and expired statutes of limitations.
Survivors Speak Out As Prevost Takes on Global Role
Survivors and advocacy groups made sure the 135 cardinals who elected Prevost were aware of these controversies.
Lopez de Casas, the national vice president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said Prevost’s new position shines a brighter light on abuse within the Church.
“This person will be scrutinized from left to right,” Casas said, adding that having a pope under public eye for past inaction could actually help victims everywhere.
Prevost Promises Transparency Amid Continued Scrutiny
In a 2023 interview, Prevost himself acknowledged the Church’s responsibility, saying “silence is not the solution” when it comes to the sexual abuse crisis.
“We must be transparent and honest, because otherwise their wounds will never heal,” he said, emphasizing the weight of responsibility on everyone involved.
Meanwhile, Ray, despite everything, says Prevost’s ordination carries “very positive vibes” overall, signaling that the story remains complicated and far from over.