Lawsuits Reveal Decades of Abuse at Chicago’s Holy Angels Parish

The Rev. George Clements emerged as a significant figure within the Black Catholic community. He launched the “One Church, One Child” initiative advocating for adoption and adopted children himself, despite church norms. His influential actions have now come under scrutiny with new lawsuits alleging he orchestrated a decades-long child sex ring while serving as pastor at Holy Angels Parish.

Lawyer Sean O’Malley from Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge announced these suits, claiming Clements was an absolute imposter accused of being one of the most prolific child abusers in the Archdiocese of Chicago’s history. Clements held the pastor role at Holy Angels from 1969 to 1991. Lawsuits reveal that during these years, the parish’s school became a site of serial abuse.

According to claims, more than 100 individuals allege abuse by Clements and associates. The law firm has initiated suits for several victims, though only a couple have been filed by Tuesday evening. The allegations include charges against the archdiocese for neglect, allegedly due to the victims’ race and poverty. Photos of abuse survivors were shown during the lawsuit announcement on October 13, 2026.

Upon taking charge at Holy Angels, Clements appointed Paul Smith as principal. Together, they enforced a strict regime, where corporal punishment reportedly served as a pretext for isolating young boys for abuse. Allegations extend to Rev. Kenneth Brigham, another pastor at Holy Angels, who shared similar clouded abuse allegations from his earlier parish roles.

The claims describe frequent gatherings at the church rectory, where the men allegedly isolated and abused students. Despite Brigham’s departure in 1978, the alleged abuse continued, including explicit accusations against Clements.

The pattern of abuse reportedly involved grooming under the guise of mentorship or chores. Clements left Holy Angels in 1991; his successor, John Calicott, also faced allegations. However, Calicott’s case became public when claims were made in 1993. Despite initially admitting misconduct, he was reinstated by the archdiocese in the following years, only to continue the abusive conduct openly.

In 2002, the archdiocese attempted to remove Calicott under revised guidelines amid global scandal. He appealed but ultimately left his position. Calicott passed away in 2024, having left the parish years before. The other men involved—including Brigham, Smith, and Clements—have also passed away. Clements died in 2019 amid an investigation. An allegation against him was settled by the archdiocese in 2022.

The archdiocese, in its recent statement, refrained from directly addressing the new claims. It emphasized child protection as a core ministry and highlighted its policies developed in 1992 for safeguarding children, asserting that these remain influential nationally and internationally.