Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Thomas Francis Kelly

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

• Primary Entity Name: Thomas Francis Kelly
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Thomas F. Kelly, Fr. Thomas F. Kelly, Thomas F. Kelly
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest, Associate Pastor, Altar Server Supervision and Youth Access
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Thomas Francis Kelly was publicly identified as a credibly accused priest by Church authorities and government investigators. He was publicly listed by:

• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Illinois Attorney General’s Office

Government investigators and survivor narratives describe Kelly as a serial abuser who targeted boys ranging in age from approximately 11 to 17, using grooming tactics that included special attention, private outings, access to alcohol and drugs, and overnight stays in rectories. 

• Entity that Listed Him: Archdiocese of Chicago, Illinois Attorney General (2023 report)
• Reason for Listing: Substantiated and credible allegations of child sexual abuse; multiple survivor claims; patterns of grooming and abuse across multiple assignments

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1962
Years in Active Ministry: 1962–1990
Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Chicago (Illinois)
Restrictions: No publicly documented permanent restriction during life; continued assignments after internal concerns were raised
Criminal Convictions: None publicly reported
Reported Survivors: 20
Diocese Claim of First Report: 1992
Public Disclosure: Added to the Archdiocese of Chicago substantiated allegations list on November 28, 2018
Died: 1990

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• Saint John Vianney- Northlake, Illinois (1962–1967)
• Saint Catherine of Genoa- Chicago, Illinois (1967–1972)
• Saint Therese of the Infant Jesus- also known as Little Flower, Chicago, Illinois (1972–1973)
• Queen of the Apostles- Riverdale, Illinois (1973–1978)
• Saint Kieran- Chicago Heights, Illinois (1978–1980)
• Saint James- Sauk Village, Illinois (1980–1986)
• Our Lady of Knock- Calumet City, Illinois (1986–1990)

Non-Parish Assignments:
No separate non-parish institutional assignments have been identified in publicly available Archdiocese personnel summaries and government reporting for Kelly. 

However, records and public descriptions of his ministry repeatedly note youth access responsibilities embedded in parish roles, including supervision of altar servers and religious education-related duties. 

Survivor accounts describe rectory access, private contact, and grooming occurring in connection with those parish-based responsibilities.

Known Allegations

Fr. Thomas Francis Kelly was accused of sexually abusing multiple boys during the 1960s and 1970s while serving in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Survivor narratives and Church records describe a recurring pattern.

Survivors reported that Kelly cultivated access by singling boys out for special attention, offering them outings such as dinners and movies, and presenting himself as a trusted authority figure whose approval felt important to children and families. 

Reported grooming behaviors included providing alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana, showing pornographic material, and arranging for boys to spend the night in parish rectories.

The reported abuse included kissing, fondling, masturbation, and oral sex. Survivors described being assaulted during overnight stays, sometimes while intoxicated. Several accounts emphasize that Kelly used secrecy and spiritual authority to discourage disclosure, including statements that no one would believe a child over a priest.

Public reporting and investigative narratives also describe an institutional pattern of movement across parishes following the raising of concerns. 

The Illinois Attorney General’s narrative describes Church records indicating that allegations or credible concerns surfaced as early as October 1967, and that plans to transfer Kelly from Saint John Vianney to Saint Catherine of Genoa followed. 

Later correspondence described additional concerns and referenced psychiatric help, yet Kelly remained in ministry and continued to receive assignments that placed him near children.

Public summaries of abuse reporting identify alleged abuse locations and time frames that include Northlake in the 1960s, Chicago between 1967 and 1972, and Chicago Heights in 1979. 

The consistency across records supports the conclusion that allegations were not isolated but part of a broader, recurring pattern across multiple assignments.

Summary: Fr. Thomas Francis Kelly was publicly identified as a credibly accused priest associated with the abuse of boys across multiple parishes. Records describe grooming behaviors, rectory-based access, repeated sexual abuse, and internal knowledge within Church leadership during his lifetime, followed by public substantiation and listing after his death.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Cardinal John Cody, Archdiocese of Chicago
• Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Archdiocese of Chicago
• Cardinal Francis George, Archdiocese of Chicago, later met with at least one survivor who reported abuse and participated in policy review discussions

Institutional Actions and Review

Multiple sources describe a significant gap between internal awareness, survivor suffering, and public accountability.

Government reporting describes Church records indicating that the Archdiocese received information raising concerns about Kelly in 1967 and responded by transferring him to another parish rather than removing him from ministry. 

Subsequent correspondence referenced additional allegations and requests for psychiatric help, yet Kelly continued in parish roles for years.

Because Kelly died in 1990, later disclosures occurred through posthumous reporting, archdiocesan review procedures for deceased clergy, and public release of documentation. 

Records show that allegations were received and processed through archdiocesan structures years after his death, including communications involving professional responsibility and review procedures. 

The Archdiocese later placed Kelly on its public list of clergy with substantiated allegations in November 2018, as part of a broader update that included deceased clerics.

The Illinois Attorney General’s reporting, including survivor narratives, frames this case as an example of how institutional decisions, including transfers and nondisclosure, can enable serial abuse by preserving access and minimizing public scrutiny. 

He was added to a list of Illinois priests with credible accusations after he passed away.

Timeline

1962- Ordained in the Archdiocese of Chicago
1962–1967- Assigned to Saint John Vianney, Northlake, Illinois
1962–1963- Survivor accounts describe abuse of altar servers during this period
October 1967- Church records referenced in later reporting indicate leadership awareness of misconduct concerns and a plan to transfer Kelly
1967–1972- Assigned to Saint Catherine of Genoa, Chicago, Illinois
1972–1973- Assigned to Saint Therese of the Infant Jesus, also known as Little Flower, Chicago, Illinois
1973–1978- Assigned to Queen of the Apostles, Riverdale, Illinois
1978–1980- Assigned to Saint Kieran, Chicago Heights, Illinois
1979- Abuse location reporting includes Chicago Heights
1980–1986- Assigned to Saint James, Sauk Village, Illinois
1986–1990- Assigned to Our Lady of Knock, Calumet City, Illinois
1990- Died
1992- Diocese’s claim of first report of abuse
November 28, 2018- Added to the Archdiocese of Chicago public list of clergy with substantiated allegations
2023- Included in the Illinois Attorney General clergy abuse reporting and survivor narrative publication

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Thomas Francis Kelly 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, government investigations, and published documentation, including the following:

• Illinois Attorney General, Thomas Francis Kelly, Information Page
• Illinois Attorney General, Survivor Narrative, Thomas Francis Kelly
• BishopAccountability.org, Archdiocese of Chicago records regarding Rev. Thomas F. Kelly, including assignment years and internal documents
• BishopAccountability.org, Chicago Sun-Times obituary for Rev. Thomas F. Kelly, June 15, 1990
• Chicago Catholic, Archdiocese of Chicago announcement regarding additions to the substantiated allegations list, including Thomas Francis Kelly, November 30, 2018

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.