Father Aloysius Schwellenbach
Diocese of Little Rock
Ordained: 1928
Died: 2000
Assignment History:
- 1948-1950: St. John the Baptist (Quincy, IL)
- 1950-1951: 1019 Cedar St. (Quincy, IL)
- 1951-1952: St. Joseph’s (Granite City, IL)
- 1953-1954: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Springfield, IL)
- 1955-1964: St. Barbara Residence (Springfield, IL)
- 1965-1968: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (Granite City, IL)
- 1968-1969: Leave of Absence
- 1970: SS. Simon and Jude (Gillespie, IL)
- 1971-1984: St. John the Baptist (Quincy, IL)
- 1984-1988: Leave of Absence
- 1988-2000: St. Peter the Fisherman (Mountain Home, AK)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Aloysius Schwellenbach:
Fr. Aloysius Schwellenbach became an ordained priest in 1928 and worked in various parishes throughout Illinois. While preparing for a Mass of Christian Burial in the summer of 1980, Fr. Schwellenbach made a pass at a former altar boy. The abuse took place while Schwellenbach was assigned to St. John the Baptist in Quincy, Illinois, and Schwellenbach sexually molested the boy for years. The victim estimates that Fr. Schwellenbach sodomized him on more than 100 occasions over four years. That was in addition to the forcible kissing and the groping. The abuse took place at the Missouri cottage, in the St. John rectory — and even in the confessional. The victim said Schwellenbach once left the priest’s side of the confessional box, entered the penitent’s side, and sexually assaulted him. Sexual abuse also took place on numerous out-of-town trips where the victim was raped all weekend.
The victim stated that he believes there were many children abused by Schwellenbach in Illinois and three other states. The priest’s cover ran out in March 1984 when a group of parents learned about some of the abuse. The parents regularly got together to play cards while their children hung out together. At least one of the families went to the Diocese of Springfield and lodged a complaint against Schwellenbach. Schwellenbach slipped out of town, resigning his post on March 22, 1984, for “health reasons.”
According to media reports, in 1988, Schwellenbach moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas, and built a home a short distance from St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church. The Diocese of Little Rock said Schwellenbach was retired and had no role at St. Peter. However, Mountain Home newspaper archives show he presided at dozens of funerals and other Masses at St. Peter between 1988 and his death.
In 2018, Schwellenbach was publicly named and included on the Diocese of Springfield’s list of credibly accused clergy for whom allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been admitted, substantiated, determined, or considered to be credible.
Fr. Schwellenbach died in 2000.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse by Arkansas priests in the Diocese of Little Rock. Our lawyers are now offering free legal consultations to discuss a potential lawsuit and your other options as a survivor of sexual abuse by priests and other employees of the Little Rock Diocese. Your chance to pursue legal action will soon be over. Most victims of abuse will never be able to recover damages if they miss the temporary window to file a lawsuit, so please contact us to discuss your case today. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an e-mail to [email protected] to discuss your options today.