Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Edward Lohan

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

• Primary Entity Name: Edward Lohan (also listed as John Edward Lohan)
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Edward Lohan, Fr. Edward Lohan, Rev. Edward Lohan, John Edward Lohan
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic Priest; parish and institutional assignments within the Diocese of Peoria
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Edward Lohan was publicly identified as a Catholic priest with reported allegations of child sexual abuse through official Church disclosures and a statewide government investigation. His name appears in records released by the Catholic Diocese of Peoria and the Illinois Attorney General as part of broader reviews into clergy sexual abuse in Illinois.

He was included on the Diocese of Peoria’s public list of clergy removed from ministry in connection with allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. Fr. Lohan was also named in the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report on Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse, which compiled diocesan disclosures statewide and documented reported survivors, alleged timeframes, and diocesan responses.

Public records indicate that the alleged abuse was reported to have occurred while Fr. Lohan was serving in parish and institutional roles within the Diocese of Peoria. Publicly available sources reviewed for this page do not indicate that he was criminally prosecuted. His inclusion on these lists reflects determinations made through diocesan review and subsequent public disclosure.

Entity that Listed Him: Catholic Diocese of Peoria; Illinois Attorney General’s Office (2023 report)

Reason for Listing: Reported allegations of child sexual abuse included on public diocesan lists and in the Illinois Attorney General’s statewide investigation following review of diocesan records

Key Status Facts

• Birth Year: 1914
• Ordination Year: 1941
• Primary Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Peoria (Illinois)
• Years in Ministry (based on publicly documented assignments): Approximately 1941–1973
• Locations Served: Bloomington, Danville, Galesburg, and Peoria, Illinois
• Reported Survivors: Three, as reflected in the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse database
• Restrictions / Removal: Later publicly listed among clergy removed from ministry in connection with allegations of sexual abuse of a minor; public disclosures do not specify interim restrictions
• Retirement Status: Described by diocesan officials as retired at the time allegations were first reported
• Laicization: No public record of laicization
• Public Disclosure: July 2019 (Diocese of Peoria); later included in the 2023 Illinois Attorney General report
• Died: 1993

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Peoria (Illinois)

Public records document Fr. Edward Lohan’s service in parish, school, and hospital settings across central Illinois. These assignments reflect ministry environments in which he would have had access to minors and other vulnerable individuals.

Parish and Institutional Assignments (as listed in public disclosures):

• Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Bloomington, IL (1941)
• St. Patrick Catholic Church, Danville, IL (1948)
• Schlarman High School, Danville, IL (1948)
• St. Elizabeth Hospital, Danville, IL (1948)
• Corpus Christi High School, Galesburg, IL (1950)
• St. Mary Hospital, Galesburg, IL (1950)
• St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Galesburg, IL (date not publicly specified)
• Galesburg State Research Hospital, Galesburg, IL (1951)
• Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Galesburg, IL (1956)
• St. Philomena Catholic Church, Peoria, IL (1973)

These assignments included Catholic high schools and medical institutions in addition to parish ministry.

Known Allegations

Public disclosures and government reporting indicate that Fr. Edward Lohan was accused of sexually abusing minors while serving in ministry connected to the Diocese of Peoria. The Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse database attributes three reported survivors to him.

Alleged Locations: Vermilion County and Knox County, Illinois

Approximate Timeframes: 1948 and 1958–1960

Church Categorization: Included by the Diocese of Peoria on its public list of clergy removed from ministry in connection with allegations of abuse of a minor before 2002, or following a diocesan determination of substantial evidence of abuse of a minor before 2002.

Summary: Fr. Edward Lohan was publicly listed by the Diocese of Peoria in connection with reported allegations of child sexual abuse involving multiple survivors and multiple time periods.

Overseeing Authorities (Diocese of Peoria):

• Bishop Joseph H. L. Schlarman (1930–1951)
• Bishop William E. Cousins (1952–1958)
• Bishop John Baptist Franz (1959–1970)

Institutional Actions and Review

Public records indicate that allegations involving Fr. Edward Lohan were first reported to the Diocese of Peoria in 1992, decades after the alleged abuse was reported to have occurred. At the time of the report, Fr. Lohan was described by diocesan officials as retired and living in assisted housing.

The Illinois Attorney General’s report describes a diocesan response that emphasized Fr. Lohan’s age and health when addressing the 1992 report. Public disclosures do not specify whether restrictions, monitoring, or an investigation were implemented following that report.

There is no indication in publicly released records that information about allegations was shared during earlier parish or institutional transfers. Fr. Lohan was removed from active ministry prior to his death in 1993, though public sources do not specify the timing of that action relative to the 1992 report.

His name was not publicly disclosed until July 2019, when the Diocese of Peoria released its list of clergy removed from ministry. He was later included in the Illinois Attorney General’s statewide review and placed on the list of accused clergy in Illinois. Public disclosure occurred many years after the alleged misconduct and initial reporting.

Timeline

1914 — Born

1941 — Ordained in the Diocese of Peoria

1941–1973 — Served in parish, school, and hospital assignments in Illinois

1948 — Alleged abuse reportedly occurred in Vermilion County

1958–1960 — Additional alleged abuse reportedly occurred in Knox County

1992 — Diocese of Peoria identifies the first known report of abuse

Prior to 1993 — Removed from active ministry

1993 — Died

July 2019 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Peoria

2023 — Included 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 Lohan or any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors statewide and offers confidential, compassionate guidance.

You can request a private consultation with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney to better understand your rights and possible next steps.

Sources and Public Records

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

• The Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report on Catholic Clergy Abuse, which includes Fr. Edward Lohan in its statewide database of accused clergy and summarizes reported survivors, alleged timeframes, and diocesan responses
• The Illinois Attorney General’s Diocese of Peoria history page provides context on how the diocese handled clergy abuse allegations
• The Catholic Diocese of Peoria’s public list of clergy removed from ministry, where Fr. Lohan is listed
• The BishopAccountability.org profile for Edward (John Edward) Lohan, compiling publicly available records and references

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.