Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Prevost, is facing scrutiny after a defrocked priest claimed he approved housing arrangements that placed the accused near a Chicago elementary school. James M. Ray, a former priest with multiple allegations of child sexual abuse, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Prevost, during his leadership of the Midwest Province of the Augustinian order, allowed him to live at a friary located across the street from a preschool and near St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School. At the time, Ray had been under ministry restrictions due to prior abuse allegations, though he was never convicted or listed on official offender registries.

Documents reportedly show that the Archdiocese failed to disclose Ray’s presence near the school, and internal records later revealed troubling details about past abuse allegations. These included inappropriate conduct with boys as young as 10 and multiple accounts of physical contact. Ray lived at the friary for two years before being relocated under revised U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops guidelines in the wake of the Church’s abuse scandal. He was officially defrocked in 2012. Church attorney Michael Airdo has since suggested that final housing decisions were made by others within the order, not solely by Prevost.

This isn’t the first time Pope Leo XIV has faced questions over his handling of abuse allegations. As bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, he was criticized for allegedly failing to take adequate action against two priests accused of abuse. According to The Pillar, victims claimed that evidence submitted to the Vatican was minimized, delaying action. Prevost eventually met with accusers in 2022 and advised them to pursue civil remedies while the Church conducted its own review, which was later closed due to insufficient evidence and statute limitations.

Advocates and survivors’ groups say Pope Leo XIV’s past actions warrant close observation. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) noted that the cardinals who elected Prevost were made aware of these concerns. In a 2023 interview, Prevost himself emphasized the need for transparency in addressing abuse, stating, “Silence is not the solution.” While Ray has since downplayed some allegations, his comments have reignited debate over past decisions and the Church’s broader accountability. The Vatican has not issued an official response to Ray’s claims at this time.