Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Kenneth J. Roberts

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

• Primary Entity Name: Kenneth J. Roberts
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Kenneth Roberts, Fr. Kenneth J. Roberts, Ken Roberts
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic Priest; Retreat Leader; Youth Ministry Involvement
• Current Status: Deceased (removed from ministry prior to death)

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Kenneth J. Roberts has been publicly identified as a priest with credible allegations of child sexual abuse by multiple Catholic dioceses and through a statewide government investigation in Illinois. His name appears on official Church disclosure lists and in the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation, which reviewed diocesan records and survivor reports.

Roberts was listed after diocesan reviews determined that allegations against him met the Church’s criteria for credibility. Public disclosures indicate that allegations involve the sexual abuse of minors during his time in priestly ministry, including periods connected to Illinois-based retreat programs. He has not been identified as criminally convicted in public court records; however, Church authorities imposed restrictions and later removed him from ministry following an internal review.

Entity that Listed Him: Catholic Diocese of Dallas; Catholic Diocese of Peoria; Catholic Diocese of Belleville; Archdiocese of St. Louis; Illinois Attorney General’s Office (2023 clergy abuse report)

Reason for Listing: Credible allegations of child sexual abuse identified through diocesan reviews and documented in official Church disclosures and the Illinois Attorney General’s investigation

Key Status Facts

• Ordination Year: 1966
• Years in Ministry (Ordination to Removal): 1966–1998
• Primary Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Dallas (Texas)
• Other Jurisdictions Involved: Archdiocese of St. Louis (Missouri); Diocese of Peoria (Illinois); Diocese of Belleville (Illinois)
• National / Auxiliary Roles: Retreat leader; involvement in youth-oriented religious programming
• Restrictions / Limitations: Barred from practicing ministry in the Archdiocese of St. Louis in August 1994 following complaints of sexual misconduct
• Retirement: Public records reflect retirement from active ministry in the mid-1990s
• Removal / Suspension: Suspended from the active priesthood by the Diocese of Dallas in November 1998
• Laicization: No public record indicating laicization
• Public Disclosure: Listed publicly by multiple dioceses beginning in 2019; included in the Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 clergy abuse investigation
• Died: December 20, 2018

Assignment History

Primary Diocese (Ordination): Catholic Diocese of Dallas

Subsequent Affiliation: Diocese of Peoria

Later Association: Diocese of Belleville, Archdiocese of St. Louis (Missouri)

Public records reflect that Fr. Kenneth J. Roberts served in parish ministry roles within the Diocese of Dallas following his ordination in 1966. His ministry included parish-based responsibilities that put him in regular contact with children and adolescents through religious instruction, sacramental preparation, and youth activities.

Beyond parish ministry, Roberts became known publicly as a retreat leader and religious speaker. According to public reporting summarized in the Illinois Attorney General’s investigation, this role provided him with access to minors across diocesan boundaries, including in Illinois.

Non-Church / Auxiliary Assignments: Public records reference involvement in retreat-based and youth-oriented religious activities, including programs later identified as relevant to reported allegations. These settings establish the institutional context in which the alleged abuse is reported to have occurred.

Known Allegations

Fr. Kenneth J. Roberts has been publicly accused of sexually abusing minors, including allegations tied to Illinois that were later documented through official Church disclosures and the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation.

According to the Illinois Attorney General’s database, reported abuse connected to Roberts occurred during the 1980s, including entries referencing LaSalle County, Illinois, and St. Clair County, Illinois (1984). These allegations were deemed credible for purposes of diocesan disclosure.

Public narrative reporting included in the Attorney General’s investigation describes allegations connected to Roberts’ role as a retreat leader associated with the Diocese of Peoria. One reported incident occurred during an Emmaus Days retreat held at Saint Bede Abbey in Peru, Illinois, where a survivor reported inappropriate sexual contact during a private interaction.

The Illinois Attorney General’s narrative cites other public records, including an Illinois Supreme Court decision, in connection with separate allegations reported against Roberts. Reported survivor counts vary by source; Illinois records list three reported survivors, while other public sources reference additional allegations in other jurisdictions.

Summary: Church disclosures and the Illinois Attorney General’s investigation report that Fr. Kenneth J. Roberts was accused of sexually abusing minors, including allegations connected to Illinois during the 1980s.

Overseeing Authority (Illinois context): Diocese of Peoria leadership during the 1980s

Associated Settings: Emmaus Days retreat; Saint Bede Abbey (Peru, Illinois)

Investigative Body Referenced: Illinois Attorney General (2023 clergy abuse investigation)

Institutional Actions and Review

Public disclosures indicate that Church authorities received complaints regarding Fr. Kenneth J. Roberts by the mid-1990s, prompting internal responses by multiple dioceses. Public records also reference earlier institutional awareness that resulted in evaluation or reassignment rather than removal.

In August 1994, the Archdiocese of St. Louis publicly stated that Roberts was barred from exercising ministry locally after complaints of sexual misconduct. This restriction occurred while he remained incardinated in the Diocese of Dallas.

In November 1998, the Diocese of Dallas formally suspended Roberts from active priestly ministry. Public records do not indicate that he was reassigned to parish or youth ministry after that suspension.

Roberts appeared on multiple diocesan disclosure lists years later, indicating that public identification followed subsequent review, including the Illinois Attorney General’s investigation, rather than contemporaneously with the earliest reports. There is no public record indicating laicization.

Roberts was ultimately included on the list of accused clergy in Illinois following the Attorney General’s review of diocesan files.

Timeline

1966 — Ordained as a Catholic priest

1966–1998 — Served in priestly ministry, primarily within the Diocese of Dallas

1980s — Reported abuse connected to Illinois (LaSalle County)

1984 — Reported abuse connected to St. Clair County, Illinois

August 1994 — Barred from practicing ministry in the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Mid-1990s — Retired from active ministry

November 1998 — Suspended from the priesthood by the Diocese of Dallas

December 20, 2018 — Died

January 31, 2019 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Dallas

March 6, 2019 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Peoria

July 26, 2019 — Publicly listed by the Archdiocese of St. Louis

February 12, 2020 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Belleville

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

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Fr. Kenneth J. Roberts or any Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options. The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse throughout Illinois and understands the sensitive nature of these cases.

Contact our firm to request a confidential consultation with an experienced Illinois clergy abuse attorney. We are here to help you understand your rights and explore possible legal action.

Sources and Public Records

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

• The Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse narrative for Kenneth J. Roberts, which summarizes reported allegations and investigative findings connected to Illinois.
• The Illinois Attorney General’s abuser list entry for Kenneth J. Roberts, which includes reported survivor counts, reported Illinois locations and time periods, and documented public listing dates by Church entities.
• The BishopAccountability profile for Kenneth J. Roberts, an archive compiling publicly available documents and reporting related to Roberts’ clergy status, allegations, and institutional actions.
• The Peoria Journal Star report on allegations involving Roberts and an Illinois retreat, which provides contemporaneous reporting and context referenced in broader public records.

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.