Sexual Abuse Allegations Against John William Curran

This page outlines the assignments, allegations, and institutional actions involving Fr. John William Curran, a priest associated with the Archdiocese of Chicago, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s work representing survivors of clergy abuse in Illinois.

• Primary Entity Name: John William Curran
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father John Curran, Fr. John William Curran, John W. Curran
• Role/Title at Time of Alleged Abuse: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Removed from ministry; listed as credibly accused; deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. John William Curran was publicly identified as a priest with credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors through disclosures by:

• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Illinois Attorney General’s Report

According to publicly available summaries, the allegations against Curran involve abuse of minors during his parish ministry in the Chicago area. The Archdiocese later acknowledged the allegations and included Curran on its list of priests with substantiated or credible abuse claims.

• Entity that Listed Him: Archdiocese of Chicago; BishopAccountability.org; Illinois Clergy Report
• Reason for Listing: Credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors during parish ministry

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1957

Years in Active Ministry: Mid-20th century through the late 1980s

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago, Illinois

Locations Where He Served: Multiple parishes in the Chicago area; Saint Catherine of Siena, Oak Park, IL; Saint Albert the Great, Oak Lawn, IL; Saint Joseph, Homewood, IL

Restrictions: Removed from ministry

Reported Survivors: 40

Civil Lawsuits: Referenced in survivor reports and institutional reviews

Public Disclosure: Included on Archdiocesan lists of credibly accused clergy

Died: Yes, in 2000

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago

Parish Assignments:

• St. Bede the Venerable, Chicago, Illinois (1957-1961)
• St. Catherine of Siena, Oak Park, Illinois (1966-1970)
• St. Albert the Great, Burbank, Illinois (1970-1980)
• St. Christina’s , Chicago Illinois (pastor 1980-1993)

Other Assignments: Curran was listed as a priest on “other assignments” in 1998; Resurrection Life Center Nursing Home, 1999-2000. 

• Quigley Preparatory Seminary–South Chicago, Illinois (1961-1966)
• Urban Vicar, Chicago, Illinois (1976-1982) 

Known Allegations

According to records, John William Curran was accused of sexually abusing minors while serving as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago. The alleged abuse occurred during his active ministry until 1993, with multiple reports indicating that the misconduct took place in parish settings where Curran exercised authority over children.

Survivor accounts indicate that not all of the alleged abuse was reported at the time it occurred. Survivors later stated that fear, confusion, and Curran’s position as a priest contributed to delayed disclosure, a pattern consistent with many clergy abuse cases.

After reviewing survivor statements and internal Church records, the Archdiocese determined that the allegations met the threshold for credibility. Curran was removed from ministry and later publicly identified as a priest with credible abuse allegations.

In the late 1990s, Curran was permitted to continue working with the public subject to restrictions. For example, he was prohibited from being alone with a person under 18, from practicing public ministry, and from taking a vacation without prior approval. His monitors were aware of all his activities. 

There is no public record of any arrest, charge, or conviction in a criminal court of Curran. The allegations remain documented through diocesan disclosures and survivor advocacy records.

Summary: John William Curran was credibly accused of sexually abusing minors during his parish ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago and was removed from ministry following an internal review.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Cardinal John Cody – Archdiocese of Chicago
• Cardinal Joseph Bernardin – Archdiocese of Chicago

Institutional Actions and Review

Allegations against Curran predate his ordination in 1949. Sexual abuse allegations continued to surface at almost every parish Father Curran was at until the 1990s. During the 1990s, the Church established a better review process regarding sexual abuse allegations. 

The diocese reports that the first accusation was made in 1990, although survivor reports indicate allegations were made and ignored decades before this report. However, the 1990 report was investigated. 

The Church deemed the report credible, and he was removed from public ministry in 1993. Parishioners were told he had taken a sabbatical. When the Church revealed the truth in 1994, the statute of limitations had passed, so the previously anonymous victims who had come forward could not press charges. In 1994, Curran was officially removed from public ministry.

His name was subsequently included on the Archdiocese’s public list of Illinois priests accused of sexual abuse of minors in 2006. No contemporaneous parish warnings from the period of the alleged abuse have been documented.

Many lawsuits have been filed in the past 25 years, including several that name Father Curran. The Archdiocese continues to settle these civil suits outside of court. 

Timeline

1949-1954 – First abuse allegations 

1957 – Ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago

1950s–1990s – Active parish ministry

1964 – Abuse in Burbank, IL

1965-1970 – Abuse happened in Chicago, IL

1966 – Abuse occurred in Burbank, IL

1968- 1970 – Abuse in Burbank, IL

1970s–1980s – Period during which alleged abuse reportedly occurred

1980-1990 – Abuse happened

1990 – Diocese says first report was received

1994 – Removed from public ministry

2000 – Curran died

2005 – Claim regarding abuse by Father Curran was included in a settlement by the Archdiocese

2006 – Placed on the Catholic Church’s public lists of credibly accused priests

2012 – Two civil lawsuits were filed alleging abuse that happened in 1987

2014 – Personnel file released

2023 – Included in Attorney General’s report

2025 – Two lawsuits filed alleging sexual abuse of two Catholic school students in the 1980s

2025 – New lawsuits filed against the Archdiocese alleging the Church consistently moved the priest despite decades of sexual abuse allegations

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you love was abused by Fr. John William Curran or another priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago, you may still have legal options under Illinois law. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse across the state.

Contact a clergy sexual abuse lawyer in Illinois to learn more about your rights and options.

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, and survivor reports. No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in public court records or official Church reports.

Sources include:

• BishopAccountability.org, which maintains documentation related to allegations against Fr. John William Curran, including disclosure status and parish service history.
• The Archdiocese of Chicago’s public disclosures regarding clergy accused of sexual abuse of minors; the document lists lawsuits, allegations, and restrictions imposed on Curran. 
• The Illinois Attorney General Clergy Report lists Curran as being credibly accused of multiple sexual abuse allegations; there are 40 known survivors. 
• This news article reports on recent lawsuits alleging that the Church transferred the priest to new parishes rather than removing him from ministry, and notes that the allegations predate his removal from ministry. 

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.