Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Thomas J. Job

This page outlines the assignments, allegations, and institutional actions involving Fr. Thomas J. Job, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s work representing survivors of clergy abuse in Illinois.

• Primary Entity Name: Thomas J. Job
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Thomas Job, Fr. Thomas J. Job, Thomas Job
• Role/Title at Time of Alleged Abuse: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Removed from ministry; listed as credibly accused; deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Thomas J. Job was publicly identified as a priest with credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors through: 

• The Archdiocese of Chicago 
• Illinois Attorney General’s Office
• Bishop Accountability

Public records state that multiple survivors reported abuse connected to Job’s parish assignments in Illinois. These disclosures emerged decades after the alleged abuse occurred, during broader investigations into clergy abuse and institutional handling within the Catholic Church.

• Entity that Listed Him: Archdiocese of Chicago; Illinois Attorney General; BishopAccountability.org
• Reason for Listing: Multiple credible allegations of child sexual abuse involving minors during parish ministry in Illinois

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1970
Years in Active Ministry: 1970–mid-1980s
Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago, Illinois
Locations Where He Served: Northlake, La Grange, Libertyville, Ingleside, Illinois
Restrictions: Removed from ministry; Laicized in 2010
Criminal Charges: None publicly documented
Civil Lawsuits: Referenced in survivor reports and institutional reviews
Reported Survivors: 22
Public Disclosure: First publicly listed on March 20, 2006
Died: 2021

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Chicago

Based on records published by the Illinois Attorney General’s Clergy Abuse Database and Archdiocesan disclosures, Thomas J. Job held the following Ilinois parish assignments during his ministry:

1970–1973 — St. John Vianney Parish, Northlake, Illinois
1973–1976 — St. Cletus Parish, La Grange, Illinois
1976–1980 — St. Joseph Parish, Libertyville, Illinois
1980–1985 — St. Bede Parish, Ingleside, Illinois

These assignments placed Job in parish environments involving routine pastoral contact with children, including altar servers and youth participating in parish activities.

Known Allegations

According to the Illinois Attorney General’s Clergy Abuse Database and narrative summaries, Thomas J. Job was accused of sexually abusing minors during his parish ministry in Illinois. Reported abuse spans multiple locations and time periods, with allegations connected to parish settings in Northlake, La Grange, Libertyville, and Ingleside.

The Attorney General’s records list 22 reported survivors, with alleged abuse occurring primarily during the 1970s and early 1980s. Survivor accounts describe repeated misconduct rather than isolated incidents, often occurring in parish-controlled environments where Job exercised authority as a priest.

There is no public record indicating that Job was arrested, charged, or convicted in a criminal court.

Summary: Thomas J. Job was credibly accused of sexually abusing numerous minors during his parish ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago, with allegations involving at least 22 survivors across multiple parishes.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

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

Institutional Actions and Review

The Archdiocese of Chicago reviewed allegations against Thomas J. Job as part of broader internal investigations into clergy sexual abuse that expanded significantly after 2002. According to Illinois Attorney General materials, the Archdiocese examined survivor statements, personnel records, and historical parish information in evaluating the claims.

Following this review, the Archdiocese determined that the allegations met the threshold for credibility. Job was removed from ministry and later included on the Archdiocese’s public list of clergy with substantiated allegations, which was first released in March 2006.

Public records do not reflect contemporaneous action taken by Church officials during the period when the alleged abuse occurred. The first report was allegedly made in 1983, and Job resigned in 1991. 

He was moved from one parish after another for over a decade when allegations arose. However, as more time passed, the church grew concerned and began to feel that the priest should work in a more supervised environment. Job knew this meant that he would be under constant supervision, and chose to resign instead. 

Timeline

1970 — Ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago
1970–1985 — Active parish ministry
1970s–early 1980s — Period during which alleged abuse reportedly occurred
1991 — Resigned
Post-2002 — Allegations reviewed during broader clergy abuse investigations
March 2006 — Publicly listed by the Archdiocese of Chicago as credibly accused
2023 — Included in the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse report materials

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you love was abused by Fr. Thomas J. Job or another priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago, you may still have legal options under Illinois law. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse statewide.

Contact a clergy sexual abuse lawyer in Illinois to learn more about your rights and legal options.

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, and survivor reports. 

Sources include:

• The Illinois Attorney General’s Clergy Abuse Database and narrative, which lists Thomas J. Job as credibly accused and documents reported survivor counts, abuse date ranges, parish locations, and disclosure history.
• The Archdiocese of Chicago’s public list of clergy with substantiated allegations.
• BishopAccountability.org’s accused clergy profile and archival summaries related to Thomas J. Job.

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.