Chicago Priest Removed After Allegations of Grooming, Sexual Misconduct with Seminarians

Waukegan, Illinois — The Archdiocese of Chicago removed Father Xamie Reyes from Little Flower Parish on October 19 following allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct involving seminarians.

Cardinal Blase Cupich shared the difficult news in an October 18 letter to parishioners, writing that the archdiocese has received allegations against Father Reyes of grooming and sexual misconduct. The allegations do not involve children and youth, but they did involve seminarians.

Cardinal Cupich called the matter very serious and said Father Reyes will live away from the parish pending the outcome of an investigation into these charges.

Cupich announced that he appointed Reverend Ismael Garcia, who currently serves as associate pastor of Little Flower Parish, as administrator of the church, expressing confidence that Father Garcia knows the needs of the parish well and with assistance from Episcopal Vicar Bishop Timothy O'Malley will ensure parishioners continue to receive pastoral care.

Reyes became pastor of the Waukegan parish in 2019.

The archdiocese reported it is taking all allegations of misconduct seriously and encourages everyone experiencing it to come forward. Anyone who chooses to come forward will be received with dignity and compassion.

The allegations involving Reyes come nearly a decade after the Archdiocese of Chicago reached a $4.45 million settlement with three victims of clerical sex abuse at the hands of Reverend Daniel McCormack, who served as a priest at St. Agatha's Parish in Chicago and as a basketball coach at a local Catholic school.

A 2023 report by the Illinois Attorney General found that more than 450 Catholic clergy in Illinois abused nearly 2,000 children since 1950.

THE CRUSADER'S OPINION

Seminarians. Men studying to become priests. Young men who entered formation trusting their spiritual fathers to guide them toward holiness. And instead, they encountered predation.

Cardinal Cupich moved swiftly. Credit where due. Father Reyes removed immediately, investigation launched, transparency with parishioners. The archdiocese followed proper protocols. But swift action on one case cannot erase the pattern.

More than 450 abusive clergy in Illinois since 1950. Nearly 2,000 child victims. The Archdiocese of Chicago has paid tens of millions in settlements. Daniel McCormack. Vincent McCaffrey. Eleven priests in one settlement. Twelve priests in another. The numbers are staggering, the suffering incalculable.

And now seminarians groomed by their pastor. Men who answered God's call to priesthood, vulnerable in their formation, targeted by someone entrusted with their spiritual development. This reveals rot at the formation level itself.

The Catholic Church faces a homosexual predation crisis, not merely a pedophilia crisis. When priests target seminarians, when formation houses become hunting grounds, when men preparing for holy orders are groomed for sexual exploitation, the Church must confront the reality it has avoided: active homosexual networks operating within seminaries and dioceses.

Seminarians cannot speak out without risking their vocations. They depend on their formators for recommendations, assignments, ordination itself. This power imbalance creates perfect conditions for abuse. Bishops must implement independent reporting mechanisms protecting seminarians from retaliation.

The faithful are exhausted. Another priest removed. Another investigation. Another letter from the cardinal. When does the Church stop managing scandals and start preventing them? When does zero tolerance mean zero tolerance?

Pray for the seminarians Father Reyes allegedly victimized. Pray they receive justice, healing, and continued discernment of their vocations. Pray the Church finally prioritizes protecting the vulnerable over protecting its reputation.

TAKE ACTION

Pray for the victims and for purification of the priesthood. Pray for seminarians in formation across the Church.

Support organizations working for accountability:

• BishopAccountability.org - Tracking clergy abuse cases and Church response
• SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) - Supporting abuse survivors

Report abuse or misconduct:

• Archdiocese of Chicago: Visit archchicago.org for reporting information
• Illinois Attorney General's Clergy Abuse Hotline: Report abuse to state authorities

Demand accountability from Church leadership. The faithful deserve shepherds who protect the flock, not enablers who protect predators.