A stunning Pope claim is made by an ex-priest who is accused of abuse

Robert Prevost is shocked by shocking new charges just a few weeks into his pontificate as Pope Leo XIV. Despite being aware that the priest was accused of child molesting, a defrocked priest from the Chicago region claims the recently elected pope personally approved his relocation to a monastery in Hyde Park, which is close to an elementary school.

Former priest James M. Ray informed the Chicago Sun-Times that Prevost, who was then in charge of the Catholic Church’s Augustinian order’s Midwest region, approved of his residence at St. John Stone Friary between 2000 and 2002. “He’s the one who allowed me to remain there,” Ray stated plainly.

The worst part is that Ray was already severely restricted after being accused of sexually abusing at least 13 minors. Surprisingly, however, St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School, which was less than a street away from where he lived, was unaware of him.

A child care center was located directly across the alley, but neither parents nor staff were informed of it, according to Sun-Times. “The Augustinians were the only ones who responded when the Archdiocese put out the word looking for housing,” Ray said, rejecting claims that the Archdiocese coerced the order to take him in. Official church records originally stated there was no school in the immediate area, a claim that has since been shown to be untrue.

A lawyer for the Augustinians maintains that Prevost simply “accepted a guest of the house” and that the late Rev. James Thompson, the friary’s onsite monitor, was in charge of watching over Ray.

Despite the fact that the archdiocese, not the Augustinians, had ultimate responsibility for Ray as one of its priests, there is no proof that anyone was legally obligated to alert neighbors about an alleged abuser living nearby. A complaint alleges that Prevost was aware of this arrangement, citing an internal archdiocesan memo from 2000, and should have told the school.

After a historic Boston Globe investigation revealed the Church’s systematic cover-up of abuse, Ray was eventually removed from public ministry in 2002. He was defrocked in 2012. “I felt abandoned by the church, but never felt abandoned by God,” he said. “My faith is still strong.

I live out my life each day the best I can. When this comes up, there’s a pain in my chest.” Ray downplays the accusations despite the fact that there are multiple victims, some of whom were as young as 10, saying, “It was a young man I gave back rubs to.” When pressed, his explanations became ambiguous, concluding with a simple “I don’t know.”

While some bishops have made progress in handling abuse cases, more work is needed to support “bishops who have not received the necessary preparation” to address these issues.

Pope Leo XIV has publicly pledged transparency and healing as the Church struggles with its abuse legacy. In 2023, after taking on the Vatican role responsible for choosing bishops, Prevost told Vatican News: “Silence is not the solution. We must be transparent and honest, we must accompany and assist the victims, because otherwise their wounds will never heal.

However, this shocking allegation calls into doubt what transpired when he was in charge as a leading Augustinian. There have never been any allegations of abuse against the pope himself. James M. Ray remarked, “Why did it have to be an Augustinian?” in response to a question about his opinion of Prevost as pope. after learning of his appointment.

Ray claimed that Prevost’s decision has “very positive vibes” despite the humor. In addition, Ray makes reference to other controversial figures from Prevost’s time who are still hidden when he states he’s not the only one. And the past may continue to cast a long, gloomy shadow over a Church that is frantically attempting to go ahead.