Former Prospect Heights pastor cleared of abuse claims

The former pastor of St. Alphonsus Liguori Parish in Prospect Heights has been cleared of child sex abuse allegations and reinstated to the ministry, Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago announced Wednesday.

The Rev. Curtis Lambert, who also served at St. Thomas Becket Parish in Mount Prospect and St. Peter Damian Catholic Church in Bartlett, was removed from the ministry in July, when he was accused of abusing a minor about 40 years ago at Sacred Heart Parish in Melrose Park.

Cupich at the time said Lambert “strenuously denies the allegation,” but agreed to step aside and cooperate with an investigation.

“After receiving the results of the thorough investigation, the (Independent Review Board) determined that there is not a reasonable cause to believe Father Lambert sexually abused the person making the accusation,” Cupich wrote in the announcement Wednesday. “In addition, the IRB recommended that Father Lambert be reinstated to ministry. I have accepted their recommendation effective immediately.”

Lambert served as pastor of St. Alphonsus Liguori Parish from July 2007 to June 2018. He was administrator at St. Beckett in 2017 and 2018, and at St. Damian in 2021.