Priest working at Chicago church accused of ‘inappropriate’ behavior with women, children: diocese
CHICAGO - A priest working at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Chicago’s Near West Side has been accused of inappropriate communications with children and women.
What we know:
Rev. Jose Molina allegedly engaged in "improper and inappropriate conversations and communications with minors and adult women," according to a letter from Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich, sent on Saturday to members of the parish.
Molina had been serving as a temporary minister at St. Francis, in the Little Italy neighborhood, since August 2025, according to the letter.
Cupich said the alleged behavior was reported to civil authorities and that the diocese is cooperating with an investigation by the Institute of the Incarnate Word, a religious order Molina serves with.
"I want to stress that the welfare of our parishioners, and especially the children entrusted to our care, is our paramount concern," Cupich wrote. "The Archdiocese of Chicago takes all allegations of misconduct seriously."
What you can do:
He added that information on how to report sexual abuse by a member of the clergy can be found at archchicago.org.