Sexual Abuse Allegations Against John C. Holdren

John C. Holdren was a Catholic priest involved in multiple sexual abuse allegations against minors during his ministry career. Holdren was the subject of a civil lawsuit in 2015, and the circumstances surrounding his removal from ministry were questionable. 

• Primary Entity Name: John C. Holdren
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father John Holdren, Fr. John, Fr. Holdren, John Holdren
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (2018)

This page summarizes the history of abuse allegations against John C. Holdren, his ministry assignments, and the institution’s response to his conduct.

Public Identification and Clergy Status

For a long time, the Diocese of Rockford did not publish the sexual abuse allegations against Holdren. Eventually, multiple entities publicly identified the priest as a perpetrator of substantiated sexual abuse claims, including:

• The Diocese of Rockford issued a public letter on November 14, 2018
• The Office of the Attorney General, in a 2023 report following a years-long investigation

Although Holdren passed away in 2018, both entities released this information to the public due to what they deemed substantiated claims of sexual abuse while Holdren was assigned to parishes in Illinois. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1971 in the Diocese of Rockford

Years in Active Ministry: 1972-1994 (23 years)

Locations Where He Served: The Diocese of Rockford parishes

Restrictions: Removed from ministry in 1994 after being injured in a home invasion

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: N/A

Public Disclosure: November 14, 2018, by the Diocese of Rockford

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: The Diocese of Rockford

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1971 – Ordained in the Diocese of Rockford

1972-1973 – St. Rita of Cascia in Aurora, IL

1974-1980 – St. Thomas Church in Crystal Lake, IL

1981-1983 – St. Peter Church in Geneva, IL

1984-1994 – St. John the Baptist Church in Johnsburg, IL

1994 – Removed from ministry after serious injuries from a home invasion

2018 – Dies

Known Allegations

The first report of sexual abuse by John C. Holdren was brought to the Diocese of Rockford in 1996. The survivor claimed that Father John Holdren had abused him when he was a child in the mid-1970s. This victim also stated that several of his friends had experienced abuse as well. At the time, Holdren was assigned to St. Thomas Church in Crystal Lake. 

According to a report from the Attorney General’s office, no action was taken by the diocese to investigate this matter or inform the public of the allegations. Three survivors are mentioned in this report. In 1994, after being severely injured during a home invasion, John C. Holdren was removed from active ministry for “reasons not related to a child sexual abuse allegation.” When he was removed, the diocese was apparently aware of issues he had with alcohol and “picking up young boys.”

Holdren was also sued by one of his victims in September 2015. Although the Diocese of Rockford told reporters that he was no longer an active priest, Holdren claimed to be helping out at a local parish. He passed away in April 2018, months before the Diocese of Rockford included his name in the letter of substantiated sexual abuse allegations against clergy members. 

Summary: John C. Holdren was accused of sexually abusing multiple boys in the 1970s, and since he was already removed from ministry by the time the victims came forward in 1996, the Diocese of Rockford took very little action to inform the public. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Bishop Arthur Joseph O’Neill (1968-1994)
• Bishop Thomas George Doran (1994-2012)

Institutional Actions and Review

This is a case of the Diocese of Rockford having plenty of reasons to identify John C. Holdren as a sexual abuser but failing to do so. After Holdren was injured in a home invasion in 1994, the diocese removed him from active ministry for “reasons not related to a child sexual abuse allegation.” 

In 1996, when the first victim came forward, there was no indication that the diocese conducted a thorough investigation or informed the public or relevant parishes of Holdren’s conduct. The diocese supposedly offered to pay for counseling support for the survivors. 

Shortly after the accused priest’s death in 2018, the diocese released his name in a list of accused IL priests who were considered substantiated sexual abusers.

Timeline

1971 – Ordained in the Diocese of Rockford

1972-1994 – Assigned to various parishes within the diocese

1970s – Abuse of multiple young boys occurs while he is assigned to St. Rita and St. Thomas

1994 – Injured in a home invasion, resigned from ministry, and was removed by the diocese

1996 – A victim comes forward about their abuse, but the public and authorities are not informed of the conduct

2015 – Holdren sued by one of the victims

2018 – Holdren dies, then is named in a public letter from the Diocese of Rockford for sexual abuse allegations

2023 – Named in a report from the Attorney General on clergy abuse in Illinois

Speak With an Attorney

Clergy abuse can have a devastating impact on a victim, especially if that person was a minor at the time. At the Injury Lawyer Team, we provide compassionate legal support for survivors as they pursue justice and fair compensation for their suffering. 

If you or a loved one has been affected by sexual abuse by a clergy member in this state, contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation 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 Office of the Attorney General’s profile on John C. Holdren
• The Attorney General’s 2023 report detailing clergy abuse in Illinois
• A profile of Holdren on the Bishop Accountability website
• A letter from the Diocese of Rockford to the public about substantiated sexual abuse allegations
• A list of bishops who have led the Diocese of Rockford

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.