Sexual Abuse Allegations Against William Joffe

William Joffe, a former clergy member in the Diocese of Rockford, was accused of sexual abuse by numerous survivors, resulting in his removal from ministry in 1993. This page summarizes the abuse allegations against Joffe, his ministry assignments, and the actions of the institutions he was involved in. 

• Primary Entity Name: William Joffe
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father William Joffe, Fr. Joffe, William Joffe
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest, Director of Religious Education, Co-Director of Religious Education
• Current Status: Deceased (2008)

Public Identification and Clergy Status

William Joffe was not publicly identified for sexual abuse allegations until well after his ministry career was over. The following entities publicly identified Joffe:

• The Diocese of Rockford, IL, on November 14, 2018
• The Office of the Attorney General in Illinois in a 2023 investigation report

These entities identified William Joffe due to substantiated sexual abuse of minors claims by at least nine victims. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1957

Years in Active Ministry: 1959-1987, 1993 (roughly 29 years)

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Rockford, IL, Diocese of Venice, FL

Restrictions: Removed from ministry in August 1993

Criminal Convictions: Charged with two counts of bank fraud for diverting $260,000 in parish funds from Saint Joseph in Harvard, serving one year in prison in 1992

Laicization: Though he was encouraged to apply for laicization, it was never officially completed

Died: 2008

Public Disclosure: A press release by the Diocese of Rockford in June 2004

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Rockford in Illinois

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1959-1961 – St. Peter’s in Rockford, IL

1962-1965 – Our Lady of Good Counsel in Aurora, IL

1966-1969 – St. Patrick’s in Dixon, IL

1970-1973 – St. Mary’s in Morrison, IL

1974-1983 – St. Mary’s in Woodstock, IL

1984-1987 – St. Joseph Church in Harvard, IL

1993 – St. Flannen Church in Harmon, IL

1993 – Removed from ministry

Known Allegations

There is a long history of allegations of sexual abuse against William Joffe that spans decades. In August 1993, following his second chance in ministry after his prison sentence, Joffe was abruptly removed from his position after just a few months. This was in response to the first sexual abuse survivor coming forward and accusing the priest of misconduct in the late 1960s. This abuse occurred when Joffe was assigned to St. Patrick’s in Dixon. 

Joffe did not deny the allegations against him. Bishop Arthur O’Neill immediately removed Joffe from his parish, but the public was not informed. 

In March 2002, another survivor came forward and accused Joffe of committing sexual abuse in the early 1970s. At this time, Joffe was serving as the Director of Religious Education at Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling. 

In March 2004, two more victims accused the priest of abuse during his time at St. Mary’s in Woodstock. These incidents occurred in 1979 and 1983. At this point, the Diocese of Rockford released a press release detailing the history of abuse by Joffe, prompting five more survivors to come forward. These victims were abused from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s at St. Patrick’s and St. Mary’s. 

Summary: After decades of sexual abuse at multiple Parishes in Illinois, William Joffe was completely removed from ministry in 1993 in response to the first survivor coming forward, eventually leading to eight more victims accusing the priest of misconduct. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

In the Diocese of Rockford, multiple authorities oversaw William Joffe at the time of these abuse incidents, including:

• Bishop Loras Thomas Lane (1956-1968)
• Bishop Arthur Joseph O’Neill (1968-1994)

Institutional Actions and Review

In 1993, the first report of sexual abuse was provided to the Diocese of Rockford by a victim who was concerned about Joffe’s return to the same area in which the victim was abused in the late 1960s. In response to this allegation, Bishop Arthur O’Neill ordered Joffe to vacate his parish immediately. However, the public was not notified of the accused priest, and many parishioners questioned why Joffe was removed so abruptly. 

O’Neill wrote a letter to Joffe stressing the need for anonymity. However, as more survivors came forward in subsequent years, the public was eventually informed in 2004. After his removal, Joffe continued to request reinstatement to a ministry role within the diocese. Still, Bishop O’Neill and, eventually, Bishop Thomas Doran insisted that he would never return to the diocese due to the seriousness of the allegations. In 2018, Joffe was placed on the list of accused IL priests by the Diocese of Rockford, IL. 

Timeline

1957 – William Joffe is ordained as a Priest in the Diocese of Rockford

1959-1987 – He is assigned to various parishes throughout Illinois, including a stint as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic school

1966 – Assigned to St. Patrick’s in Dixon

Late 1960s – Timeline for the first reported instance of sexual abuse

1970 – Assigned to St. Mary’s in Morrison

1973 – Assigned to St. Mary’s in Woodstock

1970s – Multiple reports of sexual abuse of minors during this period

1984-1987 – Assigned to St. Joseph Church in Harvard, where he is eventually charged with diverting parish funds and forced to serve one year in prison

1993 – Returns to ministry at St. Patrick’s in Amboy, but is dismissed permanently months later after the first report of past sexual abuse is made

2002 – Another survivor comes forward, citing abuse during Joffe’s Catholic school stint

2004 – Two more survivors come forward, and a press release informs the public of Joffe’s past sexual abuse

2008 – Joffe dies

2018 – The Diocese of Rockford includes Joffe on its public list of substantiated sexual abuse of minors allegations

2023 – The report from the Attorney General’s statewide investigation of clergy abuse is published, including William Joffe

Speak With an Attorney

If you suffered sexual abuse perpetrated by William Joffe or another member of the clergy in Illinois, you may have grounds for a civil lawsuit to pursue compensation for legal damages. At the Injury Lawyer Team, we will help you build a strong case to seek justice against the at-fault parties, including the Diocese of Rockford, bishops, or specific priests.

Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential consultation with an Illinois clergy abuse attorney from our experienced law firm. 

Sources

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

• A report on the survivors of sexual abuse from the Office of the Attorney General in Illinois
• A profile on William Joffe’s sexual abuse history on the AG’s website
• A letter to the public about sexual abusers in the Diocese of Rockford, which includes Joffe’s name
• The 2023 Attorney General’s report on the investigation of Illinois clergy members who committed sexual abuse, including findings about substantiated claims against William Joffe
• A list of entities that publicly identified William Joffe regarding substantiated sexual abuse claims

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.