Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Robert Craig

This page outlines the documented assignments, reported allegations of child sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Fr. Robert Craig, based on public records and official disclosures concerning clergy abuse in Illinois.

• Primary Entity Name: Robert Craig
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Robert Craig, Fr. Robert Craig, Rev. Robert Craig
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic Priest, Parish Priest, Youth Ministry Involvement
• Current Status: Removed from Ministry; Resigned from the Priesthood; Laicized

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Robert Craig was publicly identified as a priest accused of child sexual abuse through disclosures issued by the Archdiocese of Chicago and through findings published by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. His name appears in the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report on Catholic Clergy Abuse, which reviewed substantiated abuse cases and institutional responses across the state.

According to these public records, the Archdiocese of Chicago acknowledged receiving reports of sexual abuse involving Fr. Craig and removed him from public ministry in 1990. He was later included on the Archdiocese’s public list of clergy with abuse allegations, first released on March 20, 2006. The Illinois Attorney General’s investigation further documented that Fr. Craig had nine reported survivors, based on diocesan records and survivor accounts.

Independent clergy abuse documentation organizations have also identified Fr. Craig as an accused priest, relying on diocesan disclosures, public summaries, and investigative reporting. There is no public record of any criminal conviction of Fr. Craig in connection with these allegations.

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

Reason for Listing: Allegations of child sexual abuse documented through diocesan records and included in public investigative findings

Key Status Facts

• Ordination Year: 1974
• Years in Active Ministry: 1974–1990
• Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Chicago (Illinois)
• Restrictions: Removed from public ministry in 1990
• Removal / Resignation: Removed from ministry in 1990; resigned from the priesthood in October 1993
• Laicization: Laicized in 2009
• Public Disclosure / Listing: First publicly listed by the Archdiocese of Chicago on March 20, 2006; named in the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 clergy abuse report

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago

Public records document that Fr. Robert Craig served in multiple parish assignments within the Archdiocese of Chicago. These assignments establish the institutional and geographic contexts relevant to reported allegations.

Parish Assignments (as documented in public records):

• Saint Aloysius Parish — Chicago, Illinois
• All Saints–Saint Anthony Parish — Chicago, Illinois
• Saint Ann Parish — Chicago, Illinois
• Saint Mark Parish — Chicago, Illinois

Available documentation indicates that Fr. Craig’s parish roles involved regular interaction with children and adolescents through parish life and related activities.

Non-Church Assignments: Public disclosures reference Fr. Craig’s involvement in parish-affiliated youth activities and programs involving minors. Some reported abuse is associated with contexts outside regular worship services.

Known Allegations

Fr. Robert Craig has been accused of sexually abusing minors during his service as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago. According to diocesan disclosures and the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 investigation, multiple allegations were reported by individuals who described abuse occurring in parish-related settings where Fr. Craig had access to children.

Public records identify reported abuse occurring primarily in Chicago, Illinois, with some reports also referencing Mundelein, Illinois. The alleged misconduct spans several periods, including 1975–1976, 1978–1979, 1982–1991, and 1986–1991, overlapping with Fr. Craig’s years in active ministry.

The Illinois Attorney General’s report identifies nine reported survivors, based on diocesan files and survivor testimony. At least one survivor reported repeated abuse over an extended period. The allegations were documented through Church records and later included in statewide investigative findings. There is no public record of a criminal conviction related to these allegations.

Public summaries also indicate that civil claims involving Fr. Craig were filed beginning in 2006. These claims were resolved through civil processes and did not result in criminal adjudication.

Summary: Fr. Robert Craig was identified in public records as an accused priest in connection with multiple reports of child sexual abuse occurring in parish-related settings in Chicago and nearby areas from the mid-1970s through the early 1990s. These allegations led to his removal from ministry, resignation from the priesthood, and eventual laicization.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

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

Associated Organizations and Contextual Entities:

• Archdiocese of Chicago parish system
• Parish-affiliated youth activities involving minors

Legal and Advocacy Bodies Referenced:

• Illinois Attorney General’s Office (2023 clergy abuse report)
• Clergy abuse documentation and survivor advocacy organizations

Institutional Actions and Review

Public investigative findings indicate that Archdiocese of Chicago officials were first notified of allegations concerning Fr. Robert Craig by 1990, the same year he was removed from public ministry. The details of any prior internal complaints are not fully documented in publicly available records; however, subsequent reviews indicate that concerns existed prior to formal action.

In 1990, Fr. Craig was removed from public ministry and was not reassigned to another parish with pastoral duties involving minors. Available public disclosures do not reflect that restrictions short of removal were imposed before that time.

The public records reviewed do not reflect contemporaneous disclosure of these allegations to parish communities at the time of his transfers. Public identification occurred years later, when the Archdiocese of Chicago released its list of accused clergy and when the Illinois Attorney General published its 2023 investigative report. Fr. Craig was included on the publicly available list of accused clergy in Illinois as part of that later review process.

Fr. Craig resigned from the priesthood in October 1993 and was laicized in 2009.

Timeline

1974 — Ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago

1970s–1980s — Served in multiple parish assignments in Chicago, Illinois

1975–1976 — Reported abuse allegedly occurred in Chicago, Illinois

1978–1979 — Additional reported abuse allegedly occurred in Chicago, Illinois

1982–1991 — Reported abuse involving multiple survivors

1986–1991 — Reported abuse allegedly occurred in Chicago and Mundelein, Illinois

1990 — Archdiocese of Chicago first notified of allegations; Fr. Craig removed from public ministry

October 1993 — Resigned from the priesthood

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

2009 — Laicization finalized

2023 — Named in the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Robert Craig or another Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options. Survivors often have questions regarding their rights and the legal process for holding institutions accountable. You can speak confidentially with an experienced Illinois clergy abuse attorney to learn more about potential next steps.

Sources and Public Records

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 includes Fr. Robert Craig on the state’s list of clergy accused of child sexual abuse and documents reported survivors, locations, and institutional actions.
• Official Archdiocese of Chicago document disclosures related to Fr. Robert Craig, including personnel records and internal documentation released as part of the Archdiocese’s public transparency initiative.
• BishopAccountability.org’s profile on Fr. Robert Craig, which compiles information from diocesan disclosures, court filings, and investigative reporting regarding allegations, assignments, and institutional responses.

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