A defrocked priest who was accused of sexually abusing at least 13 children has made a bombshell claim against the new pope.
James Ray, a former priest on Chicago’s archdiocesan abuse list, alleges new Pope Robert Prevost authorized his 2000 move to a monastery near St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School despite prior molestation allegations. “He’s the one who gave me permission,” Ray told the Chicago Sun-Times, contradicting church paperwork claiming no schools were nearby.
Records show Ray was under ministry restrictions since 1990 but lived just blocks from a school and daycare for two years. The Archdiocese helped secure the housing but never alerted nearby institutions. Ray, never criminally convicted, claims he needed relocation as his prior residence “was going to be torn down.”
The accusation intensifies scrutiny of Prevost’s handling of abuse cases as Midwest Augustinian leader. Church documents falsely stated the area had “no school,” while the friary sits 500 feet from classrooms. The Vatican has not responded to allegations that its new leader overlooked risks to children.
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