Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Peter D. Kohler

Peter D. Kohler spent most of his ministry career outside Illinois, but a brief stint filling in for a priest in Lena, IL, resulted in the sexual assault of a young boy. 

• Primary Entity Name: Peter D. Kohler
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Peter D. Kohler, Fr. Peter, Fr. Kohler, Peter Kohler
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (2014)

This page summarizes the history of abuse allegations against Peter D. Kohler, his ministry assignments, and the institution’s response to his conduct.

Public Identification and Clergy Status

The sexual abuse allegation against Peter D. Kohler took place outside the scope of his usual ministry assignments, which were primarily in Louisiana, Missouri, and Washington, D.C. However, Kohler was publicly identified as a substantiated sexual abuser by the following entities:

• Diocese of Rockford, IL, on November 14, 2018
• Office of the Attorney General in Illinois, via a 2023 report on clergy abuse

These entities named Kohler because the sexual abuse allegations against him were substantiated. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1968 by the order of the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette

Years in Active Ministry: 1969-2001, 2005-2014 (roughly 42 years)

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Lafayette, Archdiocese of St. Louis, Berkeley, MI, Washington, D.C, and Hartford, CT

Restrictions: None

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: N/A

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

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Rockford

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1969-1970 – Our Lady of LaSalette in Sulphur, LA

1972-1978 – Morondava Madagascar Catholic Mission in St. Louis, MO

1979-1985 – LaSalette Missionaries in St. Louis, MO

1986-1993 – Immaculate Conception in Maplewood, MO

1999-2001 – LaSalette Missionaries

2005-2011 – LaSalette Formation Community in Washington, D.C.

2012-2014 – Missionaries of LaSalette in Hartford, CT

Non-Church Assignments:

1971 – Residence in Sulphur, LA

Known Allegations

“David” was 12 years old in 1999 when he went to St. Joseph in Lena, IL, one night for a religious education class. The regular priest was on medical leave, and Father Peter D. Kohler covered for him briefly. Before the end of the class, Kohler had all the children do confession, with David going last. Kohler orders him to pull down his pants and bend over, after which he raped him. 

David told his father during the car ride home, to which his father said he would take care of it. Kohler was not at Sunday mass that week and did not return to the church due to an “emergency.” 

David experienced many challenges throughout his life as a result of the trauma. The Attorney General’s investigators discovered that the Diocese of Rockford became aware of David’s allegations in 2017. After an internal investigation, the diocese was able to identify that the abuser was Kohler, using a 1999 pay stub from the time he covered for the absent priest at St. Joseph. However, because Kohler died in 2014 in Hartford, CT, no further action was taken. 

When the Diocese of Rockford published its letter about substantiated sexual abuse allegations against clergy members, Peter D. Kohler was included in the list under “religious order priests or priests of another diocese, who worked within the geographical boundaries of the Rockford Diocese or were assigned in this Diocese, against whom a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has been reported.”

Summary: While Kohler spent most of his ministry career outside Illinois, his brief visit covering for another priest involved the rape of a 12-year-old boy during confession, but the claim was not substantiated by the diocese until 2017. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Bishop Thomas George Doran at the time of the abuse incident
• Bishop David J. Malloy, when the matter was investigated in 2017, three years after Kohler’s death

Institutional Actions and Review

At the time of the 1999 incident, it is unclear whether any institutional action was taken against Peter D. Kohler. Reports indicate only that the man now listed as one of the accused IL priests was absent from the following Sunday mass due to an “emergency.” He never returned to St. Joseph after the alleged abuse. 

Kohler eventually died in 2014 while living and serving in Hartford, CT. According to the Attorney General’s investigation of the Diocese of Rockford, files indicated that the church became aware of the sexual abuse in 2017. The diocese’s investigation determined that Kohler was the perpetrator based on a 1999 pay stub issued in his name, while he covered for the priest who was on medical leave. 

In 2018, the Diocese of Rockford released a letter to the public that listed substantiated sexual abuse claims against clergy members connected to the diocese. Peter D. Kohler was included on this list, even though he had no official assignments in Illinois. The Attorney General’s office also included Kohler’s name and David’s story in its 2023 report on clergy abuse in Illinois. 

Timeline

1968 – Ordained to the order of the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette

1969-2014 – Various ministry and non-church assignments in Louisiana, Missouri, Washington, D.C, and Connecticut

1999 – Kohler rapes a 12-year-old boy during confession after a religious class, while briefly covering for a priest on medical leave

2014 – Kohler dies in Hartford, CT

2017 – The Diocese of Rockford is made aware of David’s allegations and investigates the incident, discovering that the abuser was Kohler

2018 – The Diocese of Rockford identifies Kohler in its public list of substantiated sexual abuse allegations against priests who served in the diocese

2023 – The Attorney General’s office includes Kohler’s abuse in its 2023 report following a years-long investigation of clergy abuse in Illinois

Speak With an Attorney

Even if you were sexually abused by a clergy member decades ago, you may still be eligible for a lawsuit to recover legal damages. At the Injury Lawyer Team, we will stand by your side throughout the claims process to fight for fair compensation and to hold the at-fault parties accountable. 

If you have suffered at the hands of a clergy member in this state, contact us today to schedule a free, confidential consultation with our Illinois clergy abuse lawyers.

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 Peter D. Kohler
• The Office of the Attorney General’s survivor narrative for the victim of Kohler’s abuse
• A letter from the Diocese of Rockford listing substantiated sexual abusers among the clergy
• A list of bishops who led the Diocese of Rockford
• The Attorney General’s 2023 report, following the investigation of clergy abuse in Illinois

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.