Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Edwin Banach

Father Edwin Banach (Banack), a former Catholic priest, has been accused of sexually abusing multiple victims during his assignments as a clergy member in the 1960s. Banach served in both Illinois and California, but the reports of abuse occurred during his tenure in the Diocese of Rockford in Illinois.

• Primary Entity Name: Edwin Banach
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Edwin, Fr. Edwin Banach, Fr. Banach
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (1984)

This page will summarize Edwin Banach’s ministry career, sexual abuse allegations, and the institutional response to reports of his misconduct. 

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Public identification of Edwin Banach’s misconduct did not occur until many years after his death. The following entities publicly listed Banach as a sexual abuser:

• The Diocese of Rockford on November 14, 2018
• St. Anthony of Padua during Masses in August 2002

The Diocese of Rockford identified the abuser after it was determined that the sexual abuse allegations were substantiated. At St. Anthony of Padua, church officials informed the parishioners that Banach was being investigated for the abuse of two boys in the 1960s. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1941 for the Conventual Franciscan Order

Years in Active Ministry: 1942-1983 (41 years)

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Rockford, Diocese of San Diego, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Diocese of San Bernardino

Restrictions: None

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: Not laicized before he died in 1984

Died: 1984

Public Disclosure: 2002 at St. Anthony of Padua, 2018 in a letter from the Diocese of Rockford

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Rockford

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1941 – Ordained by the Conventual Franciscan Order

1942 – Hartland, WI, at the Diocese of Milwaukee

1943 – Our Lady Queen of Angels in Detroit, MI

1944-1951 – St. Anthony of Padua in Rockford, IL

1952-1963 – Queen of Angels in Arlington, CA

1963- 1978 – St. Anthony of Padua in Rockford, IL

1979 – Franciscan Fathers in Torrance, CA

1980-1983 – St. Thomas’s in Riverside, CA

1984 – Died

Known Allegations

In 2002, a man called the clergy abuse hotline in Illinois to report his experience in the 1960s. According to this report, the victim was sexually abused by Edwin Banach during his assignment at St. Anthony of Padua in Rockford, IL. When the victim was an elementary student, Banach invited him into his quarters and requested a massage. Banach then removed his pants and forced the boy to touch him inappropriately. 

This survivor reported the allegations to Reverend Luke Poczworowski in 2002, who then informed the parishioners at St. Anthony about the investigation into Banach. Another survivor came forward later and reported that Edwin Banach had made sexual overtures to him during the same time period as the other abuse allegation. 

Both instances of sexual abuse took place during Banach’s second stint at St. Anthony of Padua, which occurred from 1963 to 1978. In 1979, he was transferred to California, where he remained until he died in 1984. 

Summary: Reports about Edwin Banach sexually abusing two young boys while assigned to St. Anthony of Padua did not surface until long after he died in 1984, with the first victim coming forward in 2002. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Bishop Loras Thomas Lane in the Diocese of Rockford (1956-1968)
• Bishop Arthur Joseph O’Neill in the Diocese of Rockford (1968-1994)

Institutional Actions and Review

By the time of Banach’s death in 1984, there had been no reports of sexual abuse made to the Catholic church or other authorities. As a result, there were no institutional actions against the priest to remove him from ministry or restrict the scope of his assignments. 

The Diocese of Rockford was first made aware of the alleged sexual abuse when a victim came forward in 2002 to inform Reverend Luke Poczworowski. This priest then told the parishioners during mass in August 2002 of the investigation into the matter. The Order of Conventual Franciscans began this investigation in September 2002, substantiating the claims of two boys who were abused while Banach was at St. Anthony of Padua. 

On November 14, 2018, a letter from the Diocese of Rockford was released to the public. This letter lists all substantiated sexual abuse claims against clergy members connected to the Diocese. Edwin Banach was included in this list of accused priests in Illinois, having served at St. Anthony of Padua for two tenures. 

Timeline

1941 – Banach is ordained for the Order of Conventual Franciscans

1944-1951 – Assigned to St. Anthony for the first time

1952 – Transferred to California

1963 – Returns to St. Anthony of Padua

1960s – Sexual abuse of one boy occurs, followed by sexual overtures toward another boy

1979 – Transferred back to California

1984 – Dies

2002 – First victim comes forward and shares his story with the Reverend at St. Anthony of Padua

September 2002 – Order of Conventual Franciscans initiates an investigation into the  allegations

2018 – Edwin Banach is included on the list of substantiated sexual abusers in the clergy by the Diocese of Rockford

Speak With an Attorney

Many victims of clergy abuse face fear and other challenges when sharing their stories. If you have suffered as a victim of abuse by a clergy member in Illinois, the Injury Lawyer Team will stand by your side as you pursue a lawsuit for fair compensation. Together, we can seek justice for your suffering, even if the perpetrator is no longer living. 

If you would like a free and confidential consultation about your claim, contact us today to schedule your case evaluation with an Illinois clergy abuse lawyer. 

Sources

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

• A press release from the Rockford Register Star about the Catholic abuse scandal
• A letter from the Diocese of Rockford listing substantiated sexual abusers
• A profile on Father Edwin Banach from the Bishop Accountability website
• An article from the Rockford Register Star about survivors’ stories of clergy abuse

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.