Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Norbert J. Maday

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

• Primary Entity Name: Norbert J. Maday
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Norbert Maday, Fr. Norbert Maday, Norbert Maday
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest, Associate Pastor, Youth Ministry Involvement
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Norbert J. Maday was publicly identified as a credibly and criminally accused priest by multiple Church entities and government bodies, including:

• The Archdiocese of Chicago
• The Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin
• The Illinois Attorney General’s Office (2023 report)

He was convicted of sexually abusing minors, served time in prison, and was laicized by the Vatican. Allegations involved abuse of boys during overnight trips and youth ministry retreats in the 1970s and 1980s.

• Entity that Listed Him: Archdiocese of Chicago, Diocese of Superior, Vatican (laicization), Illinois Attorney General (2023 report)
• Reason for Listing: Multiple substantiated and credible allegations of child sexual abuse, Criminal convictions in Wisconsin, Laicized by the Vatican in 2007

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1964

Years in Active Ministry: 1964–1993

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Chicago (IL), Diocese of Superior (WI)

Restrictions: Removed from ministry in 1993

Criminal Convictions: 1994 conviction in Wisconsin for sexually assaulting two altar boys

Second Set of Charges: Charged in 2007 for 1973 abuse in Oshkosh, WI; case dismissed in 2013 due to health

Laicization: Laicized by the Vatican in 2007 while still incarcerated

Release from Prison: Released from custody in 2007 after serving approximately 13 years of a 20-year sentence

Died: 2012

Public Disclosure: Named in multiple Church lists and the 2023 Illinois AG Report

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• St. John de la Salle – Chicago, IL (1964–1970)
• St. Louis de Montfort – Oak Lawn, IL (1970–1977)
• St. Bede the Venerable – Chicago, IL (1977–1983)
• St. Cajetan – Chicago, IL (1983–1990)
• St. Brendan – Chicago, IL (1990–1993)

Non-Church Assignments: Participated in youth ministry programs and overnight trips involving minors in both Illinois and Wisconsin.

Known Allegations

Fr. Norbert J. Maday was the subject of multiple allegations of sexually abusing boys, spanning several parishes and decades. 

The most significant case led to his 1994 conviction in Wisconsin for the second-degree sexual assault of two altar boys from St. Cajetan Church in Chicago. The abuse occurred during a 1986 youth ministry trip to Oneida County, Wisconsin, organized under the auspices of the Diocese of Superior. Maday was sentenced to 20 years in prison and served approximately 13.

In 2007, Maday was charged again; this time for the alleged 1973 abuse of a minor during a trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which had been arranged through St. Bede the Venerable in Chicago. The case was eventually dismissed in 2013 due to Maday’s declining health.

Beyond the criminal cases, Church personnel records and the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 report document multiple other reports of sexual abuse involving Maday, including concerns dating back to the 1970s. Several allegations referenced his abuse of boys during overnight outings, retreats, or trips across state lines.

Summary: Fr. Norbert J. Maday was convicted of sexually abusing minors and laicized; multiple credible and substantiated allegations span both Illinois and Wisconsin.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Cardinal John Cody – Archdiocese of Chicago
• Cardinal Joseph Bernardin – Archdiocese of Chicago
• Bishop Raphael Fliss – Diocese of Superior

Institutional Actions and Review

Internal Church documents obtained through legal discovery and published in public reports show that Church leadership had early warnings about Maday’s behavior, long before the Illinois Attorney General placed him on the list of accused clergy in Illinois.

A 1977 review of his candidacy for promotion raised concerns, and a 1986 memo from Bishop Nevin Hayes referenced other priests’ unease with Maday’s interactions with minors. Despite these red flags, no immediate action was taken until after criminal charges were filed. 

The Vatican formally laicized Maday in 2007, during his incarceration. He was released from prison later that year and died in 2012.

There is no evidence that earlier allegations were acted on before his 1993 removal, despite longstanding rumors and concerns documented later in internal Church files.

Timeline

1964 — Ordained in the Archdiocese of Chicago

1964–1993 — Held parish assignments in the Archdiocese of Chicago

1973 — Alleged abuse occurred during a trip to Oshkosh, WI (victim from St. Bede)

1986 — Sexual abuse occurred during a trip to Oneida County, WI (victims from St. Cajetan)

1993 — Removed from ministry by the Archdiocese of Chicago

1994 — Convicted in Milwaukee County, WI, for second-degree sexual assault of two minors

2007 (June) — Laicized by the Vatican while incarcerated

2007 (later) — Released from prison after serving approximately 13 years

2007 (July) — Charged in Winnebago County, WI, for 1973 assault

2013 — Case dismissed due to Maday’s failing health

2012 — Died

2023 — Named in Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse report

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Norbert J. Maday or any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse across the state. 

Contact us to book a confidential consultation with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney. We are here to help you understand your rights and take legal action.

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, legal filings, and survivor reports, including the following:

• The Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report on Catholic Clergy Abuse, which lists Fr. Norbert J. Maday as a credibly and criminally accused priest with known abuse in both Illinois and Wisconsin.
• The Archdiocese of Chicago’s official list of clerics with substantiated allegations, where Fr. Maday appears.
• A Wisconsin Court of Appeals opinion document outlining the facts of Fr. Maday’s 1994 conviction for second-degree sexual assault.
• A 2013 press release from the Oshkosh Police Department detailing the 2007 criminal charges brought against Maday for the alleged abuse of a minor in 1973, and the later dismissal of those charges due to his health.

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