Evergreen Park priest steps apart as archdiocese investigates decades-old allegation of sexual abuse

An affiliate pastor at an Evergreen Park church has stepped apart after the Chicago Archdiocese mentioned it was knowledgeable of an allegation that he sexually abused a minor some 40 years in the past, earlier than he entered the priesthood.

In a letter to parishioners of Most Holy Redeemer, Cardinal Blase Cupich mentioned the archdiocese obtained the allegation whereas the Rev. Paul Guzman was serving abroad on army obligation.

The alleged abuse occurred when Guzman was a layman and 25 years earlier than he entered Mundelein Seminary to arrange for the priesthood, in keeping with the letter.

Guzman was directed to step other than ministry instantly and to dwell away from Most Holy Redeemer Parish when he returned from his army service, in keeping with the letter.

Guzman serves as a lieutenant within the U.S. Navy Reserve and was stationed as a chaplain at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti in Africa, in keeping with the Navy.

The cardinal’s letter mentioned the allegation of abuse was reported to the Illinois Division of Youngsters and Household Companies and the Cook dinner County state’s legal professional. The individual making the allegation has been supplied the chance to participate in an investigation by the archdiocese, in keeping with the letter.

“You will need to remind everybody that, whereas the Archdiocese takes each allegation of kid sexual abuse severely, the very fact of an allegation doesn’t presume guilt,” Cupich wrote.

Guzman didn’t reply Monday to messages in search of remark.

He was ordained in Could 2012 by Cardinal Francis George and initially assigned to St. Damian in Oak Forest, in keeping with the archdiocese.

Guzman labored for 10 years as a police officer with the U.S. Division of Justice and 17 years as a nurse earlier than his ordination, in keeping with the archdiocese.

The archdiocese letter cautions an allegation doesn’t presume guilt, and asks folks to order judgment till the investigation is full.

Final December, Cupich reinstated influential Religion Neighborhood of St. Sabina chief the Rev. Michael Pfleger following an investigation into abuse allegations in opposition to the priest.

Pfleger was pressured away from the church in mid-October after a person in his 40s alleged the priest sexually abused him within the late Nineteen Eighties, however an investigation by the diocese decided the allegations had been unfounded.

It was the second time Pfleger had been accused of sexual abuse then reinstated.

In Could 2021, the pastor of Christ the King Church on Chicago’s Southwest Facet was reinstated after a month’s depart by Cupich following an accusation of sexual assault that allegedly occurred practically 4 a long time earlier.

In a letter to parishioners on the time the allegation surfaced, Sullivan wrote that whereas he was at a fast-food restaurant, he made “unwelcome verbal feedback to a feminine worker that upset her to the extent that her mother and father and the police had been contacted.” Sullivan wrote that there was no bodily contact between himself and the younger lady.

The Rev. Larry Sullivan had stepped away from parish tasks following a report alleging he sexually assaulted a minor when he was 18, however the allegation couldn’t be substantiated, the archdiocese mentioned.

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