A Chicago-area pastor has been reinstated after he was briefly investigated over an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services closed its investigation into the Rev. Martin Marren after about a week, the Archdiocese of Chicago said.
The Archdiocese Office for the Protection of Children and Youth presented to the archdiocese’s Independent Review Board on Saturday the DCFS findings and the results of its own investigation, which found “that there is not a reasonable cause to believe Father Marren abused a minor.”
Marren stepped away from the ministry during the investigation. He is an associate pastor at St. John Fisher Parish in Beverly and at St. Cajetan Parish in Morgan Park, and he has served at six other churches since 1983.
In a letter to parishioners, Cardinal Blase Cupich said Marren remains in “good standing” and that he “deserves our respect and gratitude.”
“It is important to stress that the welfare of the children entrusted to our care is of paramount importance. It is for that reason we take all allegations of sexual misconduct seriously. At the same time, we must restore the good name of anyone so accused when the allegations are found to be unsubstantiated,” Cupich wrote.
Marren has also served in various roles at other churches:
Deacon in 1983 at St. Bernadette Parish in Evergreen ParkAssociate pastor from 1984 to 1991 at St. Germaine Parish in Oak LawnAssociate pastor from 1991 to 1997 at St. Barnabas Parish in BeverlyAssociate pastor from 1997 to 2004 at St. Gerald Parish in Oak LawnPastor from 2004 to 2018 at St. Emeric Parish of St. John Neumann Parish in HomewoodPastor from 2018 to 2022 at Queen of Martyrs Parish in Evergreen Park