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Daniel McCormack Sexual Abuse Allegations
Primary Entity Name: Daniel J McCormack
Common Variations / Aliases: Father Daniel McCormack, Father McCormack, former priest Daniel McCormack
Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic priest assigned to Saint Agatha Parish in North Lawndale, Chicago
Current Status: Defrocked priest, convicted offender; held in an Illinois mental health facility after serving time in Cook County jail
This page summarizes assignments, sex crime allegations, criminal proceedings, and institutional actions involving Daniel McCormack, a former priest who pleaded guilty to abusing minors.
Father Daniel McCormack, an archdiocese priest from the Archdiocese of Chicago, is one of the Catholic order’s most notorious pedophiles. Over several years at the archdiocese, McCormack sexually abused multiple boys while serving at St. Agatha’s Parish in North Lawndale.
Despite early warnings about his behavior from officials and claims of inappropriate behavior from others, the Archdiocese of Chicago declined to remove him from ministry, allowing him to continue abusing children. His actions and the systemic failures within the archdiocese that enabled them have resulted in criminal convictions, significant financial settlements through lawsuits, and ongoing scrutiny of the church’s handling of these cases.
At Injury Lawyer Team, we are committed to helping survivors of clergy sexual abuse seek justice through civil claims and lawsuits. A Chicago clergy sex abuse attorney from our team can help hold pedophiles and the institutions that enabled them accountable. Victims are entitled to compensation, healing, and the assurance that their voices will be heard.
Public Identification and Clergy Status of Defrocked Priest Daniel McCormack
Entity That Listed Him
- Archdiocese of Chicago: public disclosures on clerical offenders
- Multiple court filings and records from Cook County, Illinois
- Documentation by Bishop Accountability
Reason for Listing
- Reports of sexual abuse and sexual assault of minors, including five boys who were victims at his parish and the basketball team McCormack coached, led to criminal charges. The court found him a “sexually violent person.”
Key Status Facts
- Ordination Year: 1994
- Years in Active Ministry: 1994–2006
- Locations Served: St. Agatha, St. Ailbe, Holy Family, West Side school programs
- Criminal Proceedings: McCormack pleaded guilty in 2007 to charges involving boys
- Defrocked Priest: Yes
- Prison History: Formerly held in the county jail, later in the state prison, then committed to mental health custody
- Public Disclosure: The archdiocese named him following an internal review and civil litigation that led to the claims being substantiated and lawsuit settlements for victims
- Settlements: The archdiocese and the church paid settlement money totaling millions to survivors
Assignment History in the Chicago Archdiocese of a Former Priest, Daniel McCormack
Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Chicago
Assignments verified through diocesan records, court files, and media reporting:
- 1995-1997: St. Ailbe Parish, Chicago, IL
- 1998-2000: St. Joseph Seminary, Chicago, IL
- 2001: Holy Family Parish, Chicago, IL (assigned as Sacramental Minister)
- 2002-2006: Saint Agatha Parish, Chicago, IL (served as Pastor and teacher/coach; he coached the parish basketball program, worked with a West Side youth team; location was connected with five children who were mentioned in early filings)
- 2002-2006: Involved in Westside School Programs, Chicago, IL (youth activities and sacramental preparation)
- 2006: Deans, Chicago, IL
- 2007-2008: Other assignments (listed as an address on Michigan Ave), Chicago, IL
These assignments placed him in direct contact with children, where later claims, lawsuits, and accusations of sexual abuse emerged.
Known Allegations and Child Sex Abuse Claims in the Catholic Church
Summary of Public Reports of the McCormack Case:
- Multiple boys made claims that Priest Daniel McCormack sexually abused them while he was at St. Agatha.
- At least five boys were included in his initial criminal case, though many survivors later came forward with additional reports.
- Prosecutors reported phone calls, interviews, and forensic reviews of school records.
- Some legal filings note that the lawsuit alleges that church and seminary officials failed to heed warning signs, resulting in additional victims.
- While some community members questioned whether false claims or false allegations existed, the criminal court outcome shows McCormack admitted he was guilty, and the abuse was legally established.
Details:
- Where the Incident Occurred: St. Agatha Parish, parish school, and activities associated with the basketball team
- Period: Primarily 2000–2005
- Church Assessment: Considered credible; resulted in removal from ministry and laicization
- Legal Status: Convicted offender; ongoing civil litigation
- Clear Summary Line: Prosecutors state that he sexually abused young boys connected to his parish and school programs.
Contextual Entities:
- Cardinal Francis George / Cardinal George: overseeing archbishop during early reporting
- Archdiocese of Chicago: legal representation, including James Geoly, then-general counsel
- Church: settlement practices
- Cook County: law enforcement
- Church Officials: seminary formators and diocesan leadership are involved in reviewing earlier complaints and future lawsuits
Institutional Actions and Review
- The Chicago Archdiocese initially returned McCormack to ministry after earlier accusations, a decision widely criticized after later criminal findings.
- Once new alleged abuse reports surfaced, the Archdiocese removed him from ministry.
- After McCormack admitted guilt, he was labeled a former official and later a defrocked priest.
- Multiple lawsuits and claims allege that earlier warnings of clerical sexual abuse were mishandled.
- Lawsuit settlements were paid to survivors, with reports noting that the church paid millions.
- Cases often documented that the lawsuit alleges negligence in supervision, particularly with respect to the team that McCormack coached.
- The archdiocese later implemented reforms focused on protecting children and identifying child sex abuse risks to vulnerable boys.
Timeline
- 1994: Ordained a priest in the Catholic Church
- 1990s: Assignment to Saint Ailbe, Holy Family, and youth programs
- 2000–2005: Served at Saint Agatha Parish, the central location of reports
- January 2006: Arrested; McCormack’s abuse allegations involve five children
- 2007: McCormack pleaded guilty to charges related to sexually abusing minors
- 2007–2010: Served time in the county jail and state prison
- Post-2010: Transferred to a mental health facility for continued civil commitment
- 2014–2020: Additional lawsuits filed; settlements paid
- Ongoing: Survivors continue to come forward with alleged abuse claims and file new lawsuits
Speak With a Cook County Attorney
If you suffered harm due to clergy sexual abuse, our legal team can help you seek justice. We assist victims of Catholic institutions across Illinois, including cases involving the Chicago Diocese. Contact us for a confidential consultation with an experienced Illinois clergy abuse law firm.
Sources and Public Records
Details are based on court documents, diocesan disclosures, public reporting, and survivor accounts. No information suggests that any false sexual abuse allegations were involved, as the priest pleaded guilty and the abuse was legally established. This does not mean that there are new criminal convictions or that all alleged abuse claims are substantiated.
Key Sources
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