A total of seven Catholic priests who had served in this area were listed in a 700-page report released last week by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office disclosing sex abuse over the decades.  

Per the report, a total of 451 Catholic priests and religious brothers abused nearly 2,000 victims in Illinois since 1950.

“Decades of Catholic leadership, decisions and policies have allowed known child sex abusers to hide, often in plain sight,” Raoul said at a news conference in Chicago. “And because the statute of limitations has frequently expired, many survivors of child sex abuse at the hands of Catholic clerics will never see justice in a legal sense. But it is my sincere hope that this report will shine a light on those who violated their positions of power and trust to abuse innocent children, and on the men in church leadership who covered up that abuse.”

The investigation spans more than seven decades, with some of the oldest priests named in the report having been ordained in the 1910s. Raoul confirmed that the majority of those named in the report – 330 – were already dead.

The attorney general’s office made “more than 600 confidential contacts” with survivors of child sex abuse by church leaders, Capitol News Illinois reported, including in-person, video and phone interviews in addition to messages left on the attorney general’s hotline, plus emails and letters.

The dioceses cooperated in the investigation, giving staff in the attorney general’s office access to thousands of files and allowing diocese leadership to sit for interviews with investigators.

Those listed in the report who served this area at some point have previously been written about in the Republic-Times over the years. 

To view full report, visit clergyreport.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov.

Below are individuals in this report who served at local parishes. 

Robert Chlopecki

Ordained in 1974, with a local assignment being Our Lady of Good Counsel  in Renault (1978-1979). There are two reported survivors,  with reported abuse taking place in 1980-1981 in St. Clair County. Chlopecki was removed from the ministry in 1993.  

Gerald Hechenberger

Ordained in 1996, with local assignments being Holy Family in Cahokia and Sacred Heart of Jesus in Dupo (1999-2006), and St. John the Baptist in Smithton (2006-2011). There is at least one reported survivor, with reported abuse taking place at dates unknown in St. Clair County. Hechenberger was removed from the ministry in 2018, convicted of child pornography and meth possession in 2019, sentenced to prison, and died in 2020.

Edwin G. Kastner

Ordained in 1951, with a local assignment being St. Mary in Valmeyer (1982-1985). There are two reported survivors, with reported abuse taking place in 1956-1959 in St. Clair County and in 1964-1969 in Washington County. Kastner was removed from the ministry in 1993, retired in 1995 and died in 2012.

Raymond F. Kownacki

Ordained in 1960, with local assignments at St. Patrick in Tipton (1985-1987), Immaculate Conception in Madonnaville (1985-1987) and St. Mary in Valmeyer (1985-1987). There are nine reported survivors, with reported abuse in 1970-1973 in Lawrence and St. Clair counties, 1973-1982 in Marion County, 1985-1987 in Monroe County and dates unknown in Marion County. Kownacki was removed from the ministry in 1995, laicized in 2013 and died in 2022.

Eugene G. Linnemann

Ordained in 1980, with local assignments being St. Patrick in Ruma and St. Leo in Modoc. There is at least one reported survivor, with reported abuse in 1979-1983 in St. Clair County. Linnemann was removed from the ministry in 1993 and died in 2011.

Walter E. MacPherson

Ordained in 1955, with local assignments being St. Joseph in Prairie du Rocher and St. Michael in Paderborn. There are four reported survivors, with reported abuse taking place in 1963-1974 in St. Clair County. MacPherson was removed from the ministry in 1994 and died in 2011.

Jerome B. Ratermann

Ordained in 1957, with local assignments being St. Joseph in Prairie du Rocher (1968-1971) and Ss. Peter & Paul in Waterloo (1971-1985). There are seven reported survivors, with reported abuse taking place in 1968-1969 in Clinton County, 1968-1970 in Randolph County, and 1974-1976 in Williamson County. Ratermann was removed from the ministry in 1993, resigned in 1993 and retired in 1996. 

(with information courtesy of Capitol News Illinois)