Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Jerome B. Ratermann

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

• Primary Entity Name: Jerome B. Ratermann
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Jerome Ratermann, Fr. Jerome Ratermann, Jerome Ratermann
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Jerome B. Ratermann was publicly identified as a credibly accused Catholic priest by Church authorities and state investigators. He served in the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois, where he held multiple parish assignments during the mid to late twentieth century. He was publicly listed by: 

• Illinois Attorney General’s office
• Diocese of Belleville

Allegations of sexual abuse of minors were later reported by survivors, leading to his posthumous inclusion in official diocesan disclosures and the Illinois Attorney General’s investigation into clergy sexual abuse. Although no criminal prosecution occurred prior to his death, the allegations were deemed credible and serious enough to warrant public identification.

Entity that Listed Him: Catholic Diocese of Belleville, Illinois Attorney General’s Office

Reason for Listing: Credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors resulted in his inclusion in official Church disclosures and state investigative findings

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1957

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Belleville, Illinois

Years in Active Ministry: 1957–1993

Locations Where He Served: Southern Illinois, including St. Clair County and surrounding areas

Restrictions: Removed from ministry and resigned in 1993

Number of Survivors: At least seven

Criminal Convictions: None publicly recorded

Public Disclosure: Named in diocesan lists and the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation

Died: 2012

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Belleville

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• 1957-1958: Immaculate Conception, Centreville, IL
• 1958-1960: Saint Henry, East St. Louis, IL
• 1960-1961: Saint Henry, Belleville, IL
• 1968: Saint John, West Frankfort, IL
• 1968-1971: Saint Joseph, Prairie du Rocher, IL
• 1971-1985: Saints Peter and Paul, Waterloo, IL
• 1985-1993: Blessed Sacrament, Belleville, IL

Non-Parish Assignments: Diocesan administrative and sacramental duties associated with parish ministry within the Diocese of Belleville (dates unspecified in public records). These were not “non-parish assignments”, but were activities within the parish assignment, such as working with youth groups. He was also assigned to Mater Dei High School in Breese, Illinois. 

Known Allegations

Fr. Jerome B. Ratermann was accused of sexually abusing minors during his time serving as a parish priest in the Diocese of Belleville. Survivor reports describe abuse occurring while Ratermann held positions of authority and trust, granting him access to children through parish activities and pastoral interactions.

The reported abuse occurred during the 1960s and 1970s, though disclosures were made many years later, a pattern consistent with clergy abuse cases involving delayed reporting due to fear, coercion, or institutional silence. These allegations were reviewed and deemed credible by Church authorities and later documented through an independent state investigation.

Summary: Fr. Jerome B. Ratermann was credibly accused of sexually abusing minors while serving as a priest in the Diocese of Belleville; allegations surfaced after his death and were later confirmed through diocesan review and state investigation.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Bishop Albert Rudolph Zuroweste, Diocese of Belleville (1948–1976)
• Bishop William Michael Cosgrove, Diocese of Belleville (1976–1981)

Institutional Actions and Review

The Diocese reports the first allegation was made in 1986, but memos and documents from Ratermann’s file state that allegations began in the 1960s. He was placed on leave or transferred parishes, as was the case with many priests at the time. Ratermann’s notes state: 

“In the summer of 1968 allegations were made to [the] Bishop of Belleville, about my sexual misconduct with teenagers.” Ratermann continued: “The Bishop sent me on a leave of absence from my assignment as principal of Mater Dei High School in Breese, Illinois. The case was resolved by the Bishop, the parents, and the State’s Attorney. No one pressed charges. Later I was assigned to parish ministry.”

His inclusion in diocesan lists of Illinois clergy credibly accused of abuse and the Illinois Attorney General’s investigation reflects retrospective acknowledgment of survivor reports and institutional failures to identify or address abuse earlier.

The Diocese of Belleville’s public disclosure of Ratermann’s status as a credibly accused priest occurred decades after the alleged abuse, underscoring the long-standing lack of transparency that characterized Church handling of abuse allegations throughout much of the twentieth century.

Timeline

1950–  Ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Belleville

1950–1979–  Served in multiple parish assignments throughout southern Illinois

1968-1969- Abuse happened in Clinton County, IL

1968-1970- Abuse occurred in Randolph County, IL

1974-1976- Abuse happened Williamson County, IL

1986- Diocese claim of first report

1993- Removed from ministry; resigned

1995- Retired from ministry; some sources state this was the date he was permanently banned from ministry

2008- Appealed his case to Rome because the Bishop refused to allow him to return to ministry

2009- Lawsuit filed for sexual abuse; settled in 2012

2012–  Died

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. Jerome B. Ratermann or any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options.

The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse across Illinois and offers confidential consultations to help survivors understand their rights and pursue accountability. Contact us today to schedule a free appointment with an Illinois clergy abuse lawyer. 

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, and government investigative findings, including:

• Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report and narrative on Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse
• Catholic Diocese of Belleville public disclosures of clergy with credible allegations
• Bishop Accountability profile and assignment history for Jerome B. Ratermann

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.