Sex Abuse Case Involving Former Chicago Archdiocese Priest Settles for
$1,375,000, Announced by Jeff Anderson & Associates
Previously secret records released
CHICAGO, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- A new $1,375,000 settlement has been made
in a child sexual abuse case involving a Catholic priest who worked in the
Chicago archdiocese and now works as a pastor at Shrine of Christ the King in
Winfield (Du Page County).
In a lawsuit filed by attorney Jeff Anderson in 2006 plaintiff claimed
that from roughly 1987 through 1992, Fr. Chester (Czeslaw) Przybylo repeatedly
abused the then 13 year old Polish immigrant boy at Five Holy Martyrs (4327 S
Richmond Street, 773 254 3636) in the Chicago archdiocese. The lawsuit filed
by the victim in today's settlement alleges that Przybylo molested him at the
parish rectory, the Chicago Health Club, and the River City Apartment complex.
The victim, who filed his lawsuit anonymously, is now in his 30s, married with
children, and living in Illinois.
According to newly-released documents, now-deceased Chicago Bishop Alfred
Abramowicz confronted Przybylo regarding allegations that he sodomized a
different teenager. Abramowicz believed that the incident occurred because
Przybylo did not deny the allegations. (Document 5)
Further, a former Chicago archdiocese priest who was assigned at Five Holy
Martyrs with Przybylo told Bishop Abramowicz that he saw the plaintiff wearing
only his underwear in Przybylo's room. (Document 8)
Remarkably, however, when plaintiff reported Przybylo's abuse to
Abramowicz in 1991, Abramowicz accused him of lying and urged him to go to
confession, the victim reports.
In April, 1983, parents from Five Holy Martyrs parish wrote then Cardinal
Joseph Bernardin about witnessing Przybylo hitting seven kids who were
allegedly talking when they shouldn't have been. (Document 1)
In July, 1984, Fr. Joseph Janicki, a high-ranking Milwaukee archdiocesan
staffer, wrote that he thought Przybylo "is paranoid" and "crazy," and has
heard "innuendos about immortality and homosexuality" and that "Przybylo tried
to proposition a priest." (Document 2)
In an April 1990 memo, now-retired Chicago Bishop Raymond Goedert stated
that a Chicago priest reported that gossip about Przybylo "seems to be more of
a sexual nature. Ed has been hearing things such as Chester taking young boys
up to his room and in the parish office." (Document 3) Another memo drafted by
Goedert in May 1990 indicates that the same Chicago priest reports having
"heard different priests who were either stationed with Chester or know about
him refer to him as "Chester the molester." (Document 4) Likewise, another
Chicago archdiocese document states that "Fr. Przybylo was known as "Chester
the Molester" by the police officers in the neighborhood" around Five Holy
Martyrs. This same document indicates that "there was an occasion when [an
Archdiocese priest] walked by Fr. Przybylo's room and saw a boy in only his
underwear sitting on the cleric's floor ... " (Document 8.)
In 2004, a top Joliet church official wrote then Bishop Joseph Imesch that
Przybylo's 'handpicked board' took over the Shrine and its assets of "over $1
million." (Document 9.) According to a lawsuit filed in Du Page County, a year
later, Imesch and other top staffers were notified that "it appears" Przybylo
inappropriately used $35,000 "which was to be used for Masses" for his
"lawyers' fees."
The sex abuse lawsuit against Przybylo was announced at two separate news
conferences held in 2006 by SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by
Priests (SNAPnetwork.org, 312 455 1499).
In response, Przybylo sued the victim, the victim's attorneys, SNAP, and a
national research group called BishopAccountability.org, claiming slander.
Those lawsuits are still pending, as is the victim's lawsuit against
Przybylo for sex abuse (the $1,375,000 settlement is only on behalf of the
Chicago archdiocese).
Przybylo is now a pastor at Shrine of Christ the King church in Winfield,
an independent entity. Przybylo worked in the Chicago Archdiocese (312 751
8200) for 15 years before attempting to move to the Joliet Diocese (815 722
6606) in 1993.
Przybylo, a Chicago native, was ordained in 1976. He was educated at a
seminary in Poland.
According to BishopAccountability.org, Przybylo lived at Holy Innocents
parish in Chicago from 1991-93 and has been affiliated with the Our Lady of
the Rosary Shrine in Whiting, Indiana.
He worked at churches in New York (St. Stanislaus in Utica in the Syracuse
Diocese from 1976-77) and Pennsylvania (St. Mary's in Reading in the Allentown
Diocese from 1977-80). In 1981, he was reportedly in the Milwaukee
Archdiocese. He worked at St. Michael's parish in Dane Wisconsin (in the
Madison diocese) where he reportedly lived with Fr. Albert J. Kunz whose 1998
murder remains unsolved.
The Shrine of Christ the King church is at 27W631 Beecher Avenue in
Winfield (http://shrineofchristtheking.org/, 630 690 3520). Documents
available at http://www.andersonadvocates.com
CONTACT -- Attorney Jeff Anderson of St. Paul MN 612-817-8665 cell
Attorney Marc Pearlman, Chicago 312-261-4550, 773-368-0142 cell
SOURCE Jeff Anderson & Associates
Attorney Jeff Anderson of St. Paul MN, cell, +1-612-817-8665, or Attorney Marc
Pearlman, Chicago, +1-312-261-4550, cell, +1-773-368-0142, both of Jeff
Anderson & Associates
