Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Richard Wayne Fassbinder

This page outlines the assignments, substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor, and institutional actions involving Fr. Richard Wayne Fassbinder, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Illinois clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Richard Wayne Fassbinder
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Richard Fassbinder, Fr. Richard Fassbinder, Richard W. Fassbinder
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Richard Wayne Fassbinder was publicly identified as a priest with substantiated allegations involving the sexual abuse of a minor through official Church disclosures and a statewide government investigation. His name appears on multiple public lists following internal review and later public reporting by Church authorities.

He was identified by the Archdiocese of Chicago, which disclosed that an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor was reported and reviewed, and by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, which included him in its 2023 report on Catholic clergy sexual abuse in Illinois. According to these disclosures, Church investigators determined there was reasonable cause to suspect abuse, and restrictions were imposed prior to his death.

Public records further indicate that Fassbinder was named on Archdiocesan public disclosures of accused clergy in the early 2000s, before the statewide review conducted by the Illinois Attorney General. He was formally added to the Archdiocese of Chicago’s public list of accused clergy in 2006.

Entity that Listed Him: Archdiocese of Chicago; Illinois Attorney General’s Office (2023 report)

Reason for Listing: Substantiated allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor following internal Church review and inclusion in public clergy abuse disclosures

Key Status Facts

• Ordination Year: 1953
• Years in Active Ministry: 1953–1997
• Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Chicago (Illinois), including extended service at Prince of Peace Parish in Lake Villa, IL
• Restrictions / Monitoring: Ministerial privileges were removed after an internal review found reasonable cause to suspect sexual abuse of a minor
• Removal / Resignation / Reassignment: Retired from ministry in 1997; removed from public ministry in 2002 following review of the allegation
• Laicization: No public record indicating laicization
• Died: May 2004
• Public Disclosure / Listing Dates: Named on Archdiocese of Chicago public disclosures in the early 2000s; formally listed in 2006; included in the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 clergy abuse report

Assignment History

Primary Diocese/Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• St. Hugh – Lyons, IL (1953–1964)
• Queen of All Saints Basilica – Chicago, IL (1964–1967)
• St. Emily – Mount Prospect, IL (1967–1973)
• Prince of Peace – Lake Villa, IL (1973–1997)
• Prince of Peace – Lake Villa, IL (1997–2004) (Pastor Emeritus)

These assignments establish the primary church setting connected to the publicly reported allegation, which is tied to Fassbinder’s long-term tenure at Prince of Peace Parish in Lake Villa, Illinois.

Non-Church Assignments: No publicly documented non-church institutional assignments identified in available disclosures.

Known Allegations

Fr. Richard Wayne Fassbinder was the subject of a reported allegation involving the sexual abuse of a minor that the Archdiocese of Chicago reviewed and later disclosed publicly. According to Church and government records, the alleged abuse occurred while Fassbinder was serving in parish ministry within the Archdiocese of Chicago.

The allegation was first reported to Church authorities in December 2001. Public summaries describe the abuse as beginning in the early to mid-1970s and continuing for many years. Some records describe the misconduct as ending in the mid-1980s, while the Illinois Attorney General’s report lists the reported abuse period as spanning 1972 to 1992. All public accounts place the alleged abuse during Fassbinder’s assignment at Prince of Peace Parish in Lake Villa, Illinois.

Following an internal review, the Archdiocesan review board determined there was reasonable cause to suspect sexual abuse of a minor, and the allegation was classified as substantiated for purposes of public disclosure. Public records indicate at least one reported survivor, and the allegation involves repeated misconduct over an extended period rather than a single incident.

Church documentation further reflects that Fassbinder acknowledged inappropriate sexual conduct and the taking of nude photographs, while disputing knowledge of the victim’s age at the time. No criminal charges or convictions are reflected in the public record related to this allegation.

Summary: Public records indicate that Fr. Richard Wayne Fassbinder was credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor during his parish ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago, with the allegation deemed substantiated following internal Church review.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

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

Associated Organizations: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago

Legal / Advocacy Bodies Referenced: Illinois Attorney General’s Catholic Clergy Abuse Report

Institutional Actions and Review

Internal Church records and public disclosures indicate that Church authorities were first notified of allegations involving Fr. Richard Wayne Fassbinder in December 2001, when a report of sexual abuse of a minor was submitted to the Archdiocese of Chicago. The allegation concerned misconduct dating back several decades during his parish ministry.

Upon receipt of the report, the matter was reviewed through internal Church processes. Public summaries indicate the Archdiocesan review board found reasonable cause to suspect sexual abuse of a minor, and ministerial privileges were removed and restrictions were imposed in 2002. Fassbinder, who had already retired from active ministry in 1997, was formally removed from public ministry following this review.

Available disclosures do not indicate that the allegation was known to Church leadership during Fassbinder’s earlier parish assignments, nor do they reflect any documented action taken at the time the alleged abuse occurred. Public identification followed later institutional review and broader investigations, including his inclusion on the list of accused clergy in Illinois.

Timeline

1953 — Ordained as a priest

1953–1964 — Assigned to St. Hugh in Lyons, Illinois

1964–1967 — Assigned to Queen of All Saints Basilica in Chicago, Illinois

1967–1973 — Assigned to St. Emily in Mount Prospect, Illinois

Early 1970s–later decades — Reported period of alleged sexual abuse connected to Prince of Peace Parish, Lake Villa, Illinois

1973–1997 — Served at Prince of Peace in Lake Villa, Illinois

1997 — Retired from active ministry

December 2001 — Allegation reported to Church authorities

2002 — Internal review resulted in restrictions and removal from the public ministry

2006 — Named on the Archdiocese of Chicago public list of accused clergy

May 2004 — Died

2023 — Included in the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse report

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Richard Wayne Fassbinder or another Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options. Survivors may be entitled to pursue accountability and compensation through civil action, even if the abuse occurred decades ago. You can speak confidentially with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney to learn more about your rights and the legal options available.

Sources and Public Records

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

• The Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report on Catholic Clergy Abuse which lists Fr. Richard Wayne Fassbinder in connection with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor in Illinois.
• The Archdiocese of Chicago’s official list of clerics with substantiated allegations, where Fr. Fassbinder appears, following internal Church review.
• The BishopAccountability.org profile for Richard Wayne Fassbinder compiles publicly available information on allegations, assignment history, and institutional responses.

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.