Law book, Gavel

Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Filed Against the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Chicago Presbyterian Church

Seven men have come forward and brought new suits against the Chicago Presbyterian Church, the Archdiocese of Chicago and related organizations due to the harm caused by the sexual abuse they endured at the hands of Presbyterian minister Douglas Mason of Chicago.  Mason was previously accused of sexually abusing boys in the 1990s.  Four of those plaintiffs settled for a confidential amount, believed to be $11 million.

In the new lawsuits, plaintiffs allege that Mason met, groomed and abused the boys at Austin United Presbyterian Church and San Marcos Youth Ministry, both run by the Chicago Presbyterian Church in the 1980s and 1990s.  Moreover, Mason routinely checked four of the boys out of St. Gregory the Great Catholic High School where they attended to sexually abuse them in the 1900s.  The school failed to alert the parents and allowed the abuse to happen.

The suit names the following organizations as defendants:

  • Chicago Presbyterian Church
  • Presbytery of Chicago and its Church Extension Board
  • Archdiocese of Chicago

Below are links to the legal complaints that have been filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

Read more at the Chicago Tribune: “7 men file sex abuse suits against Chicago Presbytery”