Barely weeks into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV faces a firestorm of controversy.
A defrocked priest from the Chicago area has come forward with a stunning allegation: that the newly elected pontiff, Robert Prevost, personally sanctioned his transfer to a Hyde Park monastery—located just steps from an elementary school—despite being fully aware of child molestation accusations against him.
Just Steps from a School — and No One Was Warned
James M. Ray, himself a former priest, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Robert Prevost—then regional head of the Catholic Church’s Augustinian order—personally approved his residency at St. John Stone Friary from 2000 to 2002.
“He’s the one who gave me permission to stay there,” Ray stated bluntly.
The most disturbing part? At the time, Ray had already been accused of sexually abusing at least 13 children and was supposed to be under strict supervision. Yet, he was allowed to live less than a block from St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School — and shockingly, no one at the school was ever notified.
According to the Sun-Times, official church documents initially insisted there was no school near the friary — a claim now clearly disproven. In reality, St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School sat less than a block away, and a child care center was located just across the alley. Yet, no notifications were ever given to parents or staff at either facility.
Ray dismissed any suggestion that the Archdiocese pressured the Augustinians into housing him.
“The Augustinians were the only ones who responded when the Archdiocese put out the word looking for housing,” he said, firmly placing the decision in their hands.
Who Knew — and Who Was Supposed to?
While the Archdiocese — not the Augustinians — technically retained ultimate authority over Ray as one of its priests, questions remain about who knew what, and when. Despite Ray’s history of abuse allegations, there is no evidence that anyone in the Church hierarchy was legally obligated to inform neighbors, parents, or school officials about his presence so close to children.
Whether Pope Leo XIV, then simply Robert Prevost, understood the full implications of the arrangement remains unclear — but the optics are undeniably troubling.
Did Prevost Know? A Memo Suggests He Did
A formal complaint now alleges that Prevost was fully aware of the arrangement, citing a 2000 internal Archdiocesan memo as evidence. The memo, according to the complaint, underscores Prevost’s responsibility to notify the nearby school — a step that was never taken.
In response, a lawyer for the Augustinians downplayed Prevost’s role, claiming he simply “accepted a guest of the house.” The responsibility for monitoring Ray, the lawyer argued, fell to the friary’s appointed supervisor, the late Rev. James Thompson.
James M. Ray was officially removed from public ministry in 2002, in the wake of the Boston Globe’s groundbreaking investigation that uncovered widespread abuse and institutional cover-ups within the Catholic Church. A decade later, in 2012, he was defrocked.
Despite the gravity of the allegations — with multiple victims, some as young as 10 — Ray offers a strikingly subdued account.
“It was a young man I gave back rubs to,” he told reporters. When pressed for clarity, his responses faltered, eventually trailing off into a simple, “I don’t know.”
Still, Ray claims to hold onto his faith.
“I felt abandoned by the Church, but never felt abandoned by God,” he said. “My faith is still strong. I live out my life each day the best I can. When this comes up, there’s a pain in my chest.”
A Pope’s Pledge in the Face of Crisis
Now at the helm of the global Church, Pope Leo XIV has vowed to confront its painful legacy. In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, then-Cardinal Robert Prevost acknowledged that while some bishops have made strides in addressing abuse, many others lack the training and support needed to respond effectively.
“Silence is not the solution,” he said at the time — a declaration now under renewed scrutiny as his own past decisions come into focus.
He stressed, “Silence is not the solution. We must be transparent and honest, we must accompany and assist the victims, because otherwise their wounds will never heal.”
Yet this explosive allegation now raises urgent questions about what occurred under Prevost’s leadership as a senior Augustinian figure. It’s important to note—the pope himself has never been accused of any abuse.
When asked about Prevost’s rise to the papacy, James M. Ray quipped, “Why did it have to be an Augustinian?” upon hearing the news.
Despite the jest, Ray admitted Prevost’s appointment brings “very positive vibes.”
But Ray also hinted that Prevost is not the only controversial figure from that era — suggesting others remain hidden in the shadows. For a Church eager to heal and move forward, the past still looms large, casting a long and troubling shadow.