Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Donald P. Pock

This page outlines the parish assignments, reported allegations of child sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Fr. Donald P. Pock, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Illinois clergy abuse cases.

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

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Donald P. Pock was publicly identified as a Catholic priest with substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse through disclosures made by the Diocese of Joliet and later by state investigators. His name appears on the Diocese of Joliet’s public list of clergy with substantiated allegations and in the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report on Catholic Clergy Abuse, which reviewed how Illinois dioceses handled allegations involving clergy.

The Diocese of Joliet publicly listed Fr. Pock in April 2006, indicating that diocesan leadership determined at least one allegation met its criteria for substantiation. He was later included in the Illinois Attorney General’s statewide investigation released in 2023.

There are no publicly reported criminal convictions associated with Fr. Pock. His identification is based on diocesan findings, civil litigation records, and public reporting rather than criminal adjudication.

Entity that Listed Him: Diocese of Joliet; Illinois Attorney General’s Office (2023 clergy abuse report)

Reason for Listing: Substantiated allegation of child sexual abuse following diocesan review; inclusion in statewide public disclosure of accused clergy by the Illinois Attorney General

Key Status Facts

• Ordination Year: 1958
• Years in Active Ministry: Served in parish ministry within the Diocese of Joliet from 1958 until his removal from active ministry in 2002
• Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, including assignments in Joliet, Morris, Romeoville, Downers Grove, Manteno, and Itasca
• Restrictions / Monitoring: Removed from active ministry and placed on administrative leave in 2002 following a substantiated allegation
• Removal / Resignation / Reassignment: Removed from ministry in 2002
• Laicization: No public record indicating laicization
• Died: May 18, 2004
• Public Disclosure / Listing Date: Publicly listed by the Diocese of Joliet on April 9, 2006; later included in the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 clergy abuse report
• Reported Survivors: The Illinois Attorney General’s report references three reported survivors

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Joliet, Illinois

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

• St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Joliet, Illinois
• Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Morris, Illinois
• St. Joseph Catholic Church in Joliet, Illinois
• Divine Savior Catholic Church in Downers Grove, Illinois
• St. Patrick Catholic Church in Joliet, Illinois
• St. Joseph Catholic Church in Manteno, Illinois
• St. Peter Catholic Church in Itasca, Illinois (served until removal in 2002)

Publicly available sources do not consistently document exact start and end dates for each assignment. Even so, these parishes are identified in the record as locations where Fr. Donald P. Pock served in ministry and provided the institutional context for the reported allegations.

Non-Church Assignments: Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois (campus ministry or affiliated service role)

Known Allegations

Fr. Donald P. Pock was the subject of substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse involving minors connected to his parish ministry within the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. Public disclosures and summaries included in the Illinois Attorney General’s investigation indicate that the alleged misconduct occurred during his active ministry and spanned multiple years.

According to the Illinois Attorney General’s database, reported abuse occurred during the following periods and locations:

• 1968–1976: DuPage County, Illinois
• 1971: Divine Savior Catholic Church, Downers Grove, Illinois
• 1976–1979: St. Joseph Catholic Church, Manteno, Illinois

One survivor later alleged abuse occurring around 1970 while he was a minor seeking guidance about entering the priesthood. Public records indicate that three reported survivors have been associated with allegations involving Fr. Pock.

The Diocese of Joliet ultimately listed Fr. Pock as having substantiated allegations following internal review. No criminal charges or convictions have been publicly reported in connection with these allegations.

Summary: Fr. Donald P. Pock was removed from ministry following substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors, as reflected in diocesan disclosures and later public reporting.

Overseeing Authority During the Relevant Period: Diocese of Joliet, Illinois (bishops serving during the period of alleged misconduct)

Associated Organizations: Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet; parish communities under diocesan authority; Lewis University

Legal / Advocacy Bodies Referenced: Illinois Attorney General’s Office (2023 Catholic clergy abuse report)

Institutional Actions and Review

According to the Illinois Attorney General’s database, the Diocese of Joliet reported 2006 as the date it first received an allegation involving Fr. Donald P. Pock. Following diocesan review, he was publicly listed that year as a priest with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor.

Other public reporting and civil litigation filings have separately alleged that concerns were raised earlier, including claims that a survivor reported abuse to diocesan officials in the 1970s. These assertions appear in later-released records and media reporting but differ from the diocese’s stated first-report date in disclosures to the Attorney General.

Fr. Pock was removed from active ministry in 2002 and placed on administrative leave, with no public indication of reassignment afterward. Public disclosures do not show that information about allegations was consistently shared during earlier parish transfers.

Civil litigation filed in 2006 led to the release of additional diocesan records in later years. The Illinois Attorney General’s report also raised questions about documentation and consistency in diocesan review procedures in some cases during that period. Fr. Pock was publicly identified through diocesan disclosure and later included on the statewide list of accused clergy in Illinois.

Timeline

1958 — Ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois

1958–2002 — Served in parish ministry at multiple parishes within the Diocese of Joliet

1968–1976 — Alleged sexual abuse reportedly occurred in DuPage County, Illinois

1971 — Alleged abuse reportedly occurred at Divine Savior Catholic Church in Downers Grove

1976–1979 — Alleged abuse reportedly occurred at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Manteno

2002 — Removed from active ministry and placed on administrative leave

May 18, 2004 — Died

April 9, 2006 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Joliet on its disclosure list

2023 — Included in the Illinois Attorney General’s statewide clergy abuse report

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Donald P. Pock or by any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options available. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse throughout the state and understands the legal and emotional challenges involved in these cases.

Contact us to schedule a confidential consultation with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney. Our team is here to help you understand your rights and pursue accountability through the legal system.

Sources and Public Records

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

• The Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report on Catholic Clergy Abuse, which lists Fr. Donald P. Pock among clergy identified in Illinois and summarizes reported allegations, survivor counts, and diocesan disclosures.
• The Illinois Attorney General’s Diocese of Joliet history page which provides context regarding diocesan reporting practices, review procedures, and public disclosures related to accused clergy.
• The BishopAccountability.org profile for Fr. Donald P. Pock, which compiles publicly available reporting, diocesan documents, and media coverage concerning allegations, assignments, and institutional responses.

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.