Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Daniel L. Ryan

Bishop Daniel L. Ryan served as a parish priest, auxiliary bishop, and bishop across multiple dioceses in Illinois throughout his career. Ryan was accused of sexual abuse and of covering up the misconduct of other clergy members on numerous occasions before he was removed from ministry in 2002. 

• Primary Entity Name: Daniel L. Ryan
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Daniel Ryan, Fr. Ryan, Bishop Daniel Ryan, Bishop Ryan, Daniel Ryan
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Bishop
• Current Status: Deceased (2015)

This page summarizes the history of abuse allegations against Bishop Daniel L. Ryan, his ministry assignments, and the institution’s response to his behavior.

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Daniel L. Ryan had been implicated in multiple lawsuits and abuse cover-up allegations throughout his career. The following entities publicly disclosed information about substantiated sexual abuse allegations against Ryan:

• The Diocese of Springfield, IL, on November 29, 2018
• The Diocese of Joliet, IL, on December 13, 2019
• The 2023 Attorney General’s report on clergy abuse in Illinois

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1956 (Diocese of Joliet) and 1984 (Diocese of Springfield)

Years in Active Ministry: 1956-1999 (roughly 44 years)

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Joliet, Diocese of Springfield

Restrictions: Resigned as bishop in 1999, removed from ministry fully in 2002

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: N/A

Public Disclosure: November 2018 in the Diocese of Springfield, December 2019 in the Diocese of Joliet

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Joliet

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1956-1958 – St. Paul the Apostle in Joliet, IL

1960-1963 – St. Joseph in Rockdale, IL

1963-1965 – St. Mary Nativity in Joliet, IL

1965-1979 – St. Thaddeus in Joliet, IL

1979-1981 – St. Michael in Wheaton, IL

2002 – Removed from ministry

Bishop Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1981–1984 – Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Joliet

1984–1999 – Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield

1999 – Resigned as Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield

Known Allegations

Daniel L. Ryan was accused of sexually abusing multiple minors and covering up for abusive priests as a bishop of the Diocese of Springfield.

When Ryan was appointed as a bishop in 1984, he arrived at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. One of his first victims, “Scott,” was 11 years old when Ryan began to abuse him shortly after being named bishop. He told Scott to accompany him to the basement and proceeded to lick his face, fondle him, and rape him. 

According to reports, Scott was sexually abused eight times over the course of several years. Ryan told Scott he could not tell his parents, or something bad would happen to them. Scott was not the only victim, as Ryan was also accused of soliciting sex from a 15-year-old around the same time. The allegations involving this second victim did not come to light until 2002. 

Ryan was also involved in covering up for other sexually abusive priests. In 1984, when he was appointed Bishop in Springfield, he was warned about a current priest who posed a risk to teenage boys. Ryan reportedly ignored the warning, and that priest went on to abuse several victims. The Bishop also wrote to a judge to request probation instead of prison for another priest who had committed abuse against numerous victims, claiming that the priest’s conduct outside of the allegations was “of the very best.”

The Diocese of Springfield received reports of Ryan’s sexually abusive behavior in 1995. In 1998, there were calls for him to be removed for protecting other abusive priests. In 1999, Ryan resigned in disgrace. After the 2002 allegations were brought to light, the investigation was referred to the Diocese of Peoria, which determined Ryan should be permanently removed from ministry. 

Summary: When Daniel Ryan was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, he sexually abused multiple boys and covered up for other abusive priests, which eventually led to his resignation and complete removal from ministry. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Bishop Martin McNamara (1948-1966 in the Diocese of Joliet)
• Bishop Romeo Blanchette (1966-1979)
• Bishop Joseph Imesch (1979-2006)
• Cardinal Joseph Bernardin (1982-1996, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago)
• Cardinal Francis George (1997-2014)

Institutional Actions and Review

Institutional inaction allowed Daniel L. Ryan to remain in power in the Diocese of Springfield,  despite his history of abuse allegations and covering for other priests. The first reports of sexual abuse were brought to the Diocese of Springfield in 1995. It wasn’t until years later, in 1999, that the pressure on Ryan prompted him to resign in disgrace. This was in response to a Catholic group within the diocese accusing him of covering up for other accused priests in Illinois. 

In 2002, the Diocese of Springfield received more reports of Ryan sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy in 1984, right after he was appointed as bishop. In response to this allegation, the investigation was referred to the Diocese of Peoria due to a conflict of interest. The body quickly determined that the claims were credible and permanently removed Daniel Ryan from active ministry. 

Ryan passed away in 2015. Eventually, he was identified in public lists of sexually abusive clergy members by the Diocese of Springfield (2018) and the Diocese of Joliet (2019). 

Timeline

1956 – Ordained in the Diocese of Joliet

1956-1981 – Assigned to various parishes in Illinois

1981-1984 – Serves as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Joliet

1984 – Appointed as the Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield

1984 – Accused of sexually abusing at least two underage boys, one for many years, during his assignment at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

1984 – Warned about another abusive priest, but chose to assign him to a parish anyway

1995 – Allegations of sexual abuse are brought to the Diocese of Springfield

1999 – Ryan resigns from his post as Bishop due to public pressure

2002 – Diocese of Peoria investigates new allegations of sexual abuse and removes Ryan from ministry

2015 – Dies

2018 – Identified on a public list in the Diocese of Springfield

2019 – Identified on a public list in the Diocese of Joliet

Speak With an Attorney

If you are a victim of clergy sexual abuse, the Injury Lawyer Team will stand by your side as you pursue justice. Our team can help you fight for compensation while holding the at-fault parties accountable, even if your abuse occurred years ago. 

Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential consultation with expert Illinois clergy abuse attorneys. 

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church and diocesan disclosures, legal filings, and survivor reports, including:

• A profile of Daniel L. Ryan from the Attorney General’s office
• A survivor narrative from the Attorney General’s office
• The 2023 report from the Attorney General on clergy abuse in Illinois
• The Attorney General’s report on the Diocese of Joliet

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.