Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan

This page outlines the assignments, credible allegations of child sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Illinois clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Daniel Mark Holihan
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Daniel Holihan, Fr. Daniel Holihan, Daniel M. Holihan
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest, Associate Pastor, Seminary and Youth-Related Ministry Involvement
• Current Status: Laicized (2010), Deceased (2016)

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan was publicly identified as a credibly and substantiated accused priest by Church authorities and government investigators following internal reviews and survivor reports. His name appears in official disclosures documenting alleged sexual abuse of minors during his ministry in Illinois.

He is listed in the Illinois Attorney General’s statewide clergy abuse report, which documents approximately 40 reported survivors associated with allegations against him. Holihan also appears on the Archdiocese of Chicago’s public list of clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors.

Public records describe allegations involving sexual abuse of boys, including altar servers and students, reported across multiple parish assignments and time periods. The Archdiocese later imposed restrictions, removed him from ministry, and ultimately laicized him.

Entity that Listed Him:

• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Illinois Attorney General’s Office (statewide clergy abuse report)

Reason for Listing:

• Multiple credible and substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse
• Findings from internal diocesan reviews and state investigation
• Approximately 40 reported survivors are documented in public records
• Subsequent removal from ministry and laicization by the Vatican

Key Status Facts

• Date of Ordination: May 3, 1957
• Years in Active Ministry: Ordained in 1957; served in parish ministry until restrictions were imposed in June 1990 and later removed from public ministry in June 2002
• Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Chicago (Illinois); reported abuse locations include Chicago, Wonder Lake (IL), Cook County (IL), and Iowa
• Restrictions / Monitoring: Placed on limited ministry with restrictions and monitoring beginning June 1990
• Removal / Resignation: Removed from public ministry in June 2002; resigned from the priesthood in November 2008
• Faculties / Monitoring Escalation: Faculties were removed, and a stricter monitoring protocol was imposed in 2005
• Laicization: Laicized by the Vatican in July 2010
• Current Status: Deceased (October 2016)
• First Report to Diocese: 1986
• Public Disclosure / Listing Date: Publicly listed by the Archdiocese of Chicago on March 20, 2006

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago

Parish and Institutional Assignments (as documented in public Church disclosures and investigative reports):

• Old St. Patrick’s Church – Chicago, IL
• St. Aloysius Parish – Chicago, IL
• St. Sylvester Parish – Chicago, IL
• St. Francis de Sales Parish – Chicago, IL
• St. Jane de Chantal Parish – Chicago, IL
• Our Lady of the Snows Parish – Chicago, IL
• St. Thérèse of the Infant Jesus Parish – Chicago, IL
• St. Jerome Parish – Chicago, IL

Public disclosures confirm that Fr. Holihan served in numerous parish roles across Chicago over several decades. While exact date ranges for each assignment have not been consistently released, these placements establish the primary settings connected to later survivor reports.

Non-Church Assignments and Related Activities:

• Participation in youth-related parish activities and altar server programs
• Overnight trips and outings with minors, including visits to a family-owned cottage in Wonder Lake, Illinois
• Reported interactions with minors connected to parish schools and seminary-related environments

Known Allegations

Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan was the subject of numerous allegations of sexual abuse involving minors, as documented in diocesan disclosures, investigative reporting, and the Illinois Attorney General’s statewide clergy abuse report. Public records indicate approximately 40 survivors reported abuse associated with his ministry.

According to institutional narratives, the alleged abuse primarily involved boys, including altar servers and students. Allegations describe inappropriate sexual contact reported at parish locations in Chicago, during overnight trips, and at Holihan’s family-owned cottage in Wonder Lake, Illinois. Some survivor accounts also reference alleged abuse occurring during trips outside Illinois, including Iowa, and in unspecified locations within Cook County.

The alleged misconduct is reported to have occurred during multiple periods, including the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Church officials received formal reports beginning in 1986, though later reviews indicate earlier concerns circulated among clergy and parish personnel. In survivor accounts referenced in public reports, Holihan was reportedly known among some parish children by the nickname “Father Happy Hands.”

Investigations by child protection authorities found credible evidence supporting allegations of abuse, though no criminal conviction resulted. Church reviews ultimately classified multiple allegations as credible and substantiated, leading to restrictions, removal from public ministry, and eventual laicization.

Summary: Public Church and government records describe Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan as having multiple credible and substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors reported across several decades and parish assignments within the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Cardinal John Cody — Archdiocese of Chicago
• Cardinal Joseph Bernardin — Archdiocese of Chicago
• Cardinal Francis George — Archdiocese of Chicago (later disciplinary actions)

Institutional Actions and Review

Internal Church records summarized in public reports indicate that Archdiocese of Chicago officials were first notified of concerns regarding Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan in 1986, and that additional complaints were documented in subsequent years. These records indicate that Church leadership received warnings about his conduct long before he was publicly identified on the list of accused clergy in Illinois.

In spring 1990, the Archdiocese received a significant increase in allegations. A state child protection investigation concluded in June 1990 and found credible evidence supporting the allegations. The Archdiocese then placed Holihan on limited ministry with restrictions and monitoring. He resigned from his parish assignment but continued to hold limited roles.

Holihan was removed from public ministry in June 2002. In 2005, Church authorities further restricted him by removing his faculties and imposing a formal monitoring protocol. His name was publicly disclosed in March 2006, when the Archdiocese released its list of clergy with substantiated allegations. The Vatican laicized him in July 2010.

Timeline

May 3, 1957 — Ordained as a priest (Archdiocese of Chicago)

1960s–1980s — Alleged abuse reported during multiple parish assignments and related ministry activities

1986 — Allegations formally reported to Church officials

June 1990 — Limited ministry with restrictions imposed

June 2002 — Removed from public ministry

2005 — Faculties removed; stricter monitoring protocol imposed

March 20, 2006 — Publicly listed by the Archdiocese of Chicago

November 2008 — Resigned from the priesthood

July 2010 — Laicized by the Vatican

October 2016 — Died

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan or by any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options available. Survivors may be entitled to pursue accountability and compensation under Illinois law.

You can speak confidentially with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney to learn more about your rights and potential next steps. Consultations are confidential, and there is no obligation to proceed.

Sources and Public Records

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, investigative reports, and survivor accounts, including the following sources:

• The Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse narrative for Daniel Mark Holihan, which documents allegations, reported survivor counts, institutional responses, and timelines related to his ministry and removal from service.
• The Illinois Attorney General’s list of accused clergy, where Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan is identified as a priest with multiple reported survivors and substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors.
• The Archdiocese of Chicago’s official list of clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors, on which Fr. Holihan is publicly named.
• BishopAccountability.org, which compiles publicly available Church records, legal documents, and investigative reporting related to allegations involving Fr. Daniel Mark Holihan.

No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in public court records or official Church reports.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.