The Rev. Kenneth Anderson has resigned as pastor of St. John Henry Newman Parish after Catholic Church officials found he used parish funds for personal expenses, among other financial violations.
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, first announced Anderson would be temporarily removed from administrative duties on March 30 in a letter to parishioners, and followed up with another letter Friday announcing his full departure.
He wrote that his office’s review of parish finances found Anderson “violated a number of core Archdiocesan policies” on fiscal responsibility and stewardship.
“These violations included the creation and maintenance of a separate bank account into which he deposited substantial parish funds,” Cupich wrote. “Some of these monies were used to cover costs unrelated to parish needs, including his personal expenses.”
Anderson “decided to resign” after these findings were shared with him and agreed to “make restitution for any funds” he used on personal costs, Cupich continued.
Retired Pastor Gerald Gunderson will temporarily administer the parish until a new pastor recommended by the Archdiocese’s placement board takes over permanently by July 1.
Anderson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The parish is headquartered at 1615 Lincoln St. in Evanston, and covers St. Athanasius Church at the same location and St. Joan of Arc Church at 3653 Lyons St. in Skokie. The two component churches were consolidated into a single parish in 2022 as part of the Archdiocese’s Renew My Church program.
Related Stories
