Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Robert J. Lutz

This page outlines the documented parish assignments, reported allegations of sexual abuse, and institutional responses involving Fr. Robert J. Lutz, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s representation of survivors in Illinois clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Robert J. Lutz
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Robert Lutz, Fr. Robert Lutz, Rev. Robert J. Lutz
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest, Pastor, School-Associated Clergy
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Robert J. Lutz became publicly identified in connection with allegations of child sexual abuse primarily through Illinois civil litigation and contemporaneous media reporting, rather than through a later statewide government investigation. His name appeared in court filings, a published Illinois appellate opinion, and Chicago-area news coverage during the late 1980s and early to mid-1990s, placing both the allegations and the institutional response into the public record.

The appellate opinion describes Lutz as the pastor of St. Norbert’s Parish in Northbrook, Illinois, and addresses claims brought by a minor plaintiff (identified under a pseudonym) and the child’s parents. The litigation also involved school leadership, including the principal of St. Norbert School, and Archdiocese-related entities, reflecting how the allegations were framed within a parish and school environment.

Entity that Listed Him: Illinois courts (published appellate opinion); civil litigation filings; Chicago-area media reporting

Reason for Listing: Allegations of child sexual abuse raised in civil lawsuits and addressed through judicial proceedings; public identification arose from litigation and related reporting rather than criminal prosecution or later diocesan substantiation lists.

Key Status Facts

• Ordination Year: Not confirmed in the publicly available records reviewed.
• Years in Active Ministry: Reported to have served approximately 44 years as a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
• Locations Where He Served: Illinois, primarily within the Archdiocese of Chicago, including service connected to St. Norbert Parish and School (Northbrook, Illinois) and other Chicago-area parish assignments.
• Restrictions: No specific restrictions involving the ministry to minors are documented in the public record reviewed.
• Removal / Reassignment: Identified as pastor emeritus at St. Norbert Parish in 1994, following his tenure as pastor.
• Laicization: No public record indicates that he was laicized.
• Died: 2006.
• Public Disclosure Period: Became publicly identified through Illinois civil litigation and appellate court proceedings beginning in the late 1980s and continuing into the mid-1990s.

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago

Parish Assignments (as documented in public records and reporting):

• St. Norbert Catholic Church in Northbrook, Illinois — Served as pastor during the period relevant to the primary civil litigation; later identified as pastor emeritus in 1994.
• St. Norbert School in Northbrook, Illinois — School-associated ministry context referenced in civil litigation involving the parish and school administration.
• St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Chicago, Illinois — Served in a parish leadership role; publicly available sources differ on the precise dates and capacity of this assignment.
• St. Mary’s Parish (Archdiocese of Chicago) — Identified in the appellate record as a setting connected to a separate allegation of workplace sexual harassment raised in another civil matter involving a former principal.
• Additional parish assignments within the Archdiocese of Chicago — Specific parish names and exact date ranges are not comprehensively listed in the public record reviewed, though reporting indicates a lengthy career in Chicago-area parishes.

These assignments establish the institutional and geographic settings referenced in the civil litigation that brought allegations into the public record.

Non-Church Assignments: No formal non-parish assignments are specifically documented in the public sources reviewed.

Known Allegations

Public records describe allegations and related proceedings involving Fr. Robert J. Lutz arising from civil litigation connected to St. Norbert School in Northbrook, Illinois, during the 1986–1988 school years.

Primary civil case (St. Norbert School, 1986–88):

A published Illinois appellate opinion states that plaintiffs alleged verbal, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of a minor student while he attended St. Norbert School as a first- and second-grade student, with allegations described as involving Lutz and the school principal. The case proceeded to trial, where a jury returned a verdict for the defendants, and post-trial motions were denied.

Additional allegations referenced in the appellate record:

The appellate opinion also discusses other allegations raised by plaintiffs in the context of evidentiary disputes, including whether alleged “prior bad acts” could be introduced to suggest a pattern or modus operandi. These references include: (1) a separate civil action involving D.Y., (2) an allegation of workplace sexual harassment connected to an employment discrimination matter involving Mildred Nigrelli, and (3) a later allegation raised in a post-trial motion involving L.P. These references are discussed in the opinion as part of procedural and evidentiary analysis, not as findings of fact.

Summary: Public records describe allegations related to St. Norbert Parish and School in Northbrook, Illinois, during 1986–1988, which became publicly known through Illinois civil litigation and appellate court proceedings.

Overseeing Authority During Key Period: Cardinal Joseph Bernardin (Archdiocese of Chicago).

Associated Organizations / Settings: St. Norbert Parish and School; Illinois civil courts; parish school administration.

Institutional Actions and Review

Public records indicate that allegations involving Fr. Robert J. Lutz became known through Illinois civil litigation and related reporting beginning in the late 1980s, rather than through later statewide investigations or diocesan substantiation processes such as the list of accused clergy in Illinois.

The primary civil case proceeded to a jury trial, resulting in a verdict in favor of the defendants. The appellate court later affirmed the judgment and denial of post-trial motions.

The appellate record also indicates that law enforcement and child welfare authorities were contacted, including the Northbrook Police Department, the State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The opinion states that no criminal charges were filed against Lutz or the school principal.

Public sources do not clearly indicate when Church officials were first notified before the filing of lawsuits, and no publicly released personnel documentation establishes whether earlier complaints, internal reviews, or restrictions existed before the allegations became public.

Following the litigation period, Lutz was identified as pastor emeritus, indicating the end of active parish leadership, though public records do not clarify whether this status change was directly tied to the allegations.

Timeline

1986–1988 — Alleged abuse reportedly occurred in connection with St. Norbert School in Northbrook, Illinois.

July 1988 — Family raised concerns with parish and school leadership; the child was later removed from the school.

October 1988 — Complaint filed with Northbrook police.

Late 1988–1989 — Investigations referenced involving police, prosecutors, and DCFS; no criminal charges filed.

Early 1990s — Civil litigation and media reporting brought allegations into the broader public view.

1994 — Identified as pastor emeritus at St. Norbert Parish.

1996 — An Illinois appellate decision issued affirming the trial court judgment.

2006 — Died.

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Robert J. Lutz or by any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options. A confidential consultation with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney can help you understand your rights and explore potential legal claims.

Sources and Public Records

This page is based on public records, legal filings, media reporting, and survivor accounts, including the following:

• An Illinois Appellate Court opinion affirming the judgment in Doe v. Lutz (1996), which outlines the civil litigation, evidentiary issues, and procedural history involving allegations against Fr. Robert J. Lutz as pastor of St. Norbert Parish in Northbrook, Illinois.
• A Chicago-area news report archived by BishopAccountability.org details civil allegations against Fr. Robert J. Lutz in the early 1990s, including claims related to St. Norbert Parish and School in Northbrook, Illinois.

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.