Lawsuits accuse Chicago Archdiocese of running 'predator pipeline'

Chicago Archdiocese accused of running 'predator pipeline' in lawsuit

Three lawsuits have been filed, accusing the Archdiocese of Chicago of being a "predator pipeline" that kept two priests in active ministry for decades despite complaints of sexual abuse against children.

CHICAGO - Three lawsuits have been filed, accusing the Archdiocese of Chicago of being a "predator pipeline" that kept two priests in active ministry for decades despite complaints of sexual abuse against children.

What we know:

The suits involve Father Daniel Mark Holihan and Father William Curran who have both publicly identified by the Archdiocese as priests with substantiated allegations of child abuse, according to Gould Grieco & Hensley PLLC.

The complaints claimed the Archdiocese repeatedly reassigned the men to parishes and schools, allowing them continued access to children throughout the 1980s.

One of the lawsuits alleged Holihan sexually abused a high school student at Quigley Preparatory Seminar and Our Lady of the Snows Parish after decades of prior complaints, including reports dating back to the 1960s involving more than 20 people.

Curran was accused in the other two lawsuits of abusing students at St. Christina Catholic School and Parish, despite the Archdiocese knowing of his misconduct as early as the 1960s.

What they're saying:

"This wasn’t just a series of bad decisions – it was a system," Mike Grieco, founding partner at Gould Grieco & Hensley, said in a statement. "For decades, the Archdiocese relied on secrecy and reassignment instead of transparency and accountability. That structure is what allowed priests like Holihan and Curran to stay in ministry for years, putting children in harm’s way."

FOX 32 has reached out to the Archdiocese of Chicago for comment.

Each plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for negligence and civil conspiracy.