Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Edward E. Bush

This page outlines the documented assignments, reported allegations of sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Fr. Edward E. Bush, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Illinois clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Edward E. Bush
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Edward E. Bush, Fr. Edward Bush, Edward Bush
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest, Pastor, Teacher
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Edward E. Bush was publicly identified as a priest accused of sexual abuse by Church authorities and through independent public reporting. Allegations became known following a 2002 diocesan review conducted by the Diocese of Peoria, after which Church officials announced his removal from active ministry. His name has since appeared in multiple public disclosures documenting clergy accused of abusing minors in Illinois.

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

Reason for Listing: Allegations of sexual abuse of minors reported to diocesan authorities, resulting in his removal from ministry following internal review and later public disclosure by diocesan and state-level reporting entities

Key Status Facts

• Ordination Year: 1957
• Years in Active Ministry: Ordained in 1957 and served in active diocesan ministry until his removal in 2002
• Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, including parishes and institutions in Peoria and the Quad Cities region
• Restrictions: Removed from active ministry in 2002 following reported allegations of sexual abuse
• Removal / Resignation / Reassignment: Removed from ministry in May 2002; agreed to resign from all active ministry and was later described as retired
• Laicization: No public record indicating laicization
• Died: March 22, 2011
• Public Disclosure / Listing: Publicly listed by the Diocese of Peoria on November 29, 2018; later named in the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 clergy abuse report

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Peoria (Illinois)

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

• St. Thomas Catholic Church in Peoria Heights, Illinois
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Moline, Illinois
• St. Patrick Catholic Church in Colona, Illinois

Educational and Early Ministry Roles:

• Academy of Our Lady in Peoria, Illinois (reported in public clergy abuse databases)
• Bergan High School in Peoria, Illinois (reported in public clergy abuse databases)

Non-Church Assignments: In addition to parish duties, Fr. Edward E. Bush served in Catholic educational settings affiliated with the Diocese of Peoria, including roles that involved contact with minors. These assignments provide relevant context for the allegations tied to his time in ministry.

Known Allegations

Fr. Edward E. Bush was accused of sexually abusing two female minors during his time serving in parish and educational roles within the Diocese of Peoria. According to diocesan disclosures and later public reporting, the alleged victims reported that the abuse occurred when they were in sixth and eighth grade.

Public records indicate that the alleged abuse occurred during the early to mid-1960s, including periods identified as 1960–1961 and 1964–1965, in Peoria County, Illinois. The allegations were connected to Bush’s early ministry, during a time when he held parish and school-related assignments that involved direct access to minors.

The allegations were first formally reported to diocesan leadership in 2002. Following an internal review, Church authorities asked Bush to step down from active ministry. According to publicly available records, Bush was confronted by diocesan leadership, including Bishop Daniel Jenky, in April 2002, and agreed to resign from all active ministry.

No criminal prosecution resulted from the allegations. At least one survivor filed a civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse, which was later dismissed as time-barred under Illinois statutes of limitation. Despite the absence of a criminal conviction, the Diocese of Peoria proceeded with Bush’s permanent removal from ministry and later public disclosure of his name.

Summary: Fr. Edward E. Bush was accused of sexually abusing two minor girls during the early to mid-1960s while serving in parish and school-related roles in the Diocese of Peoria, leading to his removal from ministry following diocesan review.

Overseeing Authority During Key Periods: Diocese of Peoria, including Bishop Daniel Jenky at the time of disclosure in 2002

Associated Organizations: Diocese of Peoria parish communities; Catholic school institutions affiliated with the Diocese of Peoria

Legal / Advocacy Bodies Referenced: Diocese of Peoria internal review processes; Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 clergy abuse report

Institutional Actions and Review

Public records indicate that Church authorities in the Diocese of Peoria were first notified of allegations involving Fr. Edward E. Bush in 2002. In April 2002, diocesan officials, including Bishop Jenky, confronted Bush regarding the allegations. The following month, in May 2002, Bush was formally removed from active ministry and resigned from all public clerical duties.

On May 30, 2002, the Diocese of Peoria issued a public statement announcing that several priests, including Bush, had been asked to step down from ministry due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Bush was identified at that time as the former pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Colona, Illinois.

After his removal, Bush filed a defamation lawsuit against the Diocese of Peoria, Bishop Jenky, and Monsignor Steven Rohlfs, challenging public statements made about the allegations. Court proceedings included protective orders safeguarding the anonymity of the alleged victims, which Illinois appellate courts later upheld.

Public records do not indicate that Church authorities received or acted on formal complaints prior to 2002, nor do they show that restrictions were imposed before that time. There is no clear evidence that information regarding the allegations was shared during Bush’s earlier parish transfers.

Bush’s name was later included in statewide public disclosures, including the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 clergy abuse report and listings of accused clergy in Illinois maintained by the Church and independent entities.

Timeline

1957 — Ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Peoria (Illinois)

1958–1981 — Assigned to St. Thomas Catholic Church in Peoria Heights, Illinois

1960–1961 — Alleged sexual abuse reportedly occurred involving a minor in Peoria County, Illinois

1964–1965 — Additional allegations of sexual abuse involved a minor in Peoria County, Illinois

1982–1983 — Assigned to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Moline, Illinois

1984–2002 — Assigned to St. Patrick Catholic Church in Colona, Illinois

April 2002 — Confronted by diocesan leadership regarding allegations

May 2002 — Removed from active ministry and resigned from clerical duties

2002–2004 — Filed a defamation lawsuit against the Diocese of Peoria and diocesan leadership

2005–2007 — Civil abuse lawsuit filed by a survivor; later dismissed as time-barred

March 22, 2011 — Died

November 29, 2018 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Peoria

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

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Edward E. Bush or any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse statewide and offers confidential consultations to help individuals understand their rights.

Contact our firm to speak privately with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney and learn more about potential legal paths forward.

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. Edward E. Bush among clergy publicly identified in Illinois and includes reported timeframes and locations tied to the allegations.
• An Illinois Appellate Court opinion addressing Fr. Bush’s defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Peoria and diocesan leadership, including the court’s rulings on protective orders intended to safeguard the anonymity of the alleged victims.
• The BishopAccountability profile page for Fr. Edward E. Bush compiles diocesan disclosures and related reports regarding allegations, ministry status, and publicly available documentation.

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.