After the Archdiocese of Chicago received a complaint of sexual abuse of a minor from roughly 40 years ago, an Evergreen Park priest resigned from his position.
The Rev. Paul Guzman, an associate priest at Most Holy Redeemer Parish, was abused 25 years before he enrolled in Mundelein Seminary to train for the priesthood, according to a letter from Cardinal Blase Cupich on Saturday.
Guzman was serving a military mission overseas when the claim was submitted to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services, according to Cupich.
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During the investigation, Guzman has agreed to reside elsewhere, according to Cupich, and the accuser has been offered pastoral care from the archdiocese’s victim support ministry. According to Cupich, the archdiocese is also conducting an investigation.
According to Chicago Sun Times, Guzman was unreachable.
“It is important to remind everyone that, while the archdiocese takes every allegation of child sexual abuse seriously, the fact of an allegation does not presume guilt,” the cardinal wrote.
The Archdiocese of Chicago last year added dozens of names to a list of priests who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse online.
