Joliet diocese tells visiting priest to leave church, diocese; relic tour canceled

Bishop Ronald Hicks has canceled the veneration of relic in the Diocese of Joliet after a priest connected with the tour was told to leave a Joliet church and the diocese.

On Thursday, while Queen of Apostles Catholic Parish in Joliet hosted a relic of St. Jude for public veneration, “an incident with the priest and some students was reported to have happened” at the church, according to a news release from the Diocese of Joliet.

After the priest was confronted with the information, he was told to leave Queen of Apostles and the Diocese of Joliet, according to the release. Joliet Police were contacted, and a police investigation is ongoing, according to the release.

“In an abundance of caution, the veneration of the relic and evening Mass were canceled,” according to the release.

Sgt. Dwayne English, spokesman for the Joliet Police Department, said Joliet police responded to Queen of Apostles School on Thursday and that an investigation is underway regarding an incident involving a priest and students.

English said the priest is “from out of town and traveling with the Tour of the Relic of St. Jude” and that the students are safe.

“The safety and well-being of the students is our top priority,” English said, “and we are working closely with diocese officials to gather all necessary information.”

Treasures of the Church, a nonprofit, outside ministry, hosts the relic of St. Jude in the U.S. The relic has been on a national pilgrimage for more than a year, according to the release.

On Thursday night, Hicks canceled the relic tour scheduled at two more parishes, according to the release.

Hicks has informed the superior of the Companions of the Cross, according to the release. A priest with the Companions of the Cross, an order of priests in Canada, oversees both the tour and the relic, according to the release.

These decisions and actions were in accordance with “our Diocesan Safe Environment Policies and our Standards of Behavior,” according to the release.

All those involved in this incident are safe, according to the release.