Fr. Thomas J. Johnston

In 2000, a lawsuit was filed against Johnston by a church secretary in the Detroit Archdiocese, alleging that her contract was not renewed due to her teenage son rejecting the priest’s advances in 1999. Johnston acknowledged engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior and using inappropriate language, but denied any sexual contact. As a result, he was removed from the parish and relocated to Illinois. In 2006, he was released from the Order. On June 10, 2019, he was listed as credibly accused by the Detroit archdiocese. Subsequently, on October 2022, he was also included on the Chicago archdiocese’s list. Finally, on May 23, 2023, he was mentioned in the Illinois Attorney General’s Report.