Casa Jesus

Casa Jesus, meaning “House of Jesus,” was a Roman Catholic house of discernment and priestly formation operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago. It opened in 1987 in response to the growth of Spanish-speaking Catholic communities in the archdiocese and was designed chiefly for Latin American men considering the priesthood. Rather than functioning as a conventional seminary, it provided an initial community setting in which candidates could pray, study, learn English, participate in parish ministry, and assess their vocation before transferring to a major seminary. The initiative was proposed by Father Arturo Perez and Father Silvano Filipetto and accepted by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. Its first home was the rectory of St. Casimir Church in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood. Participants lived together, engaged in spiritual and communal activities, studied English, and assisted with catechetical and youth work. After gaining sufficient proficiency in English, candidates generally moved to Mundelein Seminary or St. Joseph College Seminary, often after approximately one year in the program. Casa Jesus changed leadership and locations several times. Filipetto directed the program after Perez departed in 1990, and David Ford succeeded him in 1992. Michael Herman became director in 1994, when the program moved to the grounds of Notre Dame de Chicago parish and expanded recruitment beyond Chicago. Recruitment initially focused on Colombia and later included Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and other Latin American countries. The program accepted both men with previous seminary experience and candidates coming from secular employment. Robert Gerald Casey served as rector from 1998 to 2003, followed by Alejandro Garrido. In 2006, the archdiocese moved Casa Jesus to a former convent at Holy Name Cathedral. Beginning in 2009, the same property also housed Bishop Abramowicz Seminary, a comparable formation program for Polish-speaking candidates. Octavio Muñoz, a Casa Jesus alumnus ordained in 2004, became rector in 2009. In 2012, both programs moved temporarily to facilities at St. Ita’s Church while the cathedral convent was renovated. By 2012, 260 men had participated in Casa Jesus and 42 alumni had been ordained priests for the Archdiocese of Chicago, according to accounts of the program. At the time operations were suspended in 2016, several former participants were still studying at Mundelein Seminary, St. Joseph Seminary, or the College of Lake County. The institution’s later history was dominated by misconduct investigations involving former rector Octavio Muñoz and broader allegations concerning some alumni and participants. In 2015, a laptop found in Muñoz’s former apartment appeared to contain child pornography. The archdiocese opened an internal investigation and contacted law enforcement after a delay. Muñoz was removed from ministry, and he was charged in 2016 with possession of child pornography. Casa Jesus quietly suspended operations in September 2016 and is generally treated as closed. In 2025, the former Casa Jesus building was reported to be housing seminarians in the propaedeutic stage of formation connected with Mundelein Seminary, but this later use did not represent a reopening of Casa Jesus as the original program.

Casa Jesus was created in 1987 by the Archdiocese of Chicago as a house of discernment and formation for Spanish-speaking men considering Catholic priesthood. Fathers Arturo Perez and Silvano Filipetto developed the concept in response to the increasing number of Hispanic Catholics in the archdiocese, and Cardinal Joseph Bernardin approved it. The program initially operated from the rectory of St. Casimir Church in Little Village, where participants lived in community, prayed together, studied English, and assisted with catechetical and youth ministry. Candidates generally transferred to Mundelein Seminary or St. Joseph College Seminary after acquiring sufficient English proficiency and completing the initial period of discernment. Filipetto continued as director after Perez left in 1990. David Ford succeeded him in 1992, followed by Michael Herman in 1994. Under Herman, Casa Jesus moved to the grounds of Notre Dame de Chicago parish, partly to place participants closer to English-language studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. The program also developed an international recruitment model. Colombia was an early focus, followed by Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and other Latin American countries. Candidates included both men with prior seminary experience and men who had previously worked outside the church. Robert Gerald Casey became rector in 1998 and served until 2003. Alejandro Garrido followed him. In 2006, the archdiocese relocated Casa Jesus to a former convent at Holy Name Cathedral. The property later housed Bishop Abramowicz Seminary, a Polish-language counterpart serving a similar purpose. Octavio Muñoz, who had participated in Casa Jesus and was ordained in 2004, became rector in 2009. In 2012, Casa Jesus and Bishop Abramowicz Seminary moved to facilities at St. Ita’s Church while the Holy Name Cathedral convent underwent extensive renovation. The changes were partly intended to allow Cardinal Francis George to live in the renovated convent after retirement alongside men in formation. By 2012, published accounts stated that 260 men had participated in Casa Jesus and that 42 alumni had been ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago. The program’s graduates and participants therefore formed a significant component of the archdiocese’s effort to develop Spanish-speaking clergy. The program entered a serious crisis in 2015. During a tour of Muñoz’s former apartment, a laptop was found streaming material that appeared to be child pornography. The incident was not immediately reported to law enforcement. The archdiocese subsequently used private investigators and later contacted police. Muñoz was removed from ministry, stripped of priestly faculties, and sent to treatment. He was charged in 2016 with possession of child pornography and later arrested in Chicago after extradition from Maryland. Casa Jesus suspended operations in September 2016. At closure, several former participants remained in seminary or college-level study, including ten at Mundelein Seminary, one at St. Joseph Seminary, and four at the College of Lake County. The institution’s reputation was also affected by other allegations involving former participants and alumni, including claims of sexual misconduct, violations of clerical restrictions, and criminal proceedings involving some priests associated with the program. These allegations were not equivalent in nature or legal status, but together they contributed to scrutiny of the formation house and the archdiocese’s oversight. The former Casa Jesus building later served another seminary-related purpose. In 2025 it began housing propaedeutic-stage seminarians studying through Mundelein Seminary. This subsequent use of the building did not amount to a documented revival of Casa Jesus under its original name or structure.

• 2025

  Former building receives a new seminary use

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  The former Casa Jesus building begins housing propaedeutic-stage seminarians connected with Mundelein Seminary.

• 2016

  Casa Jesus suspends operations

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  The program closes after Muñoz is charged with possession of child pornography.

• 2015

  Muñoz removed from ministry

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  The archdiocese removes Muñoz from ministry after an alleged child-pornography discovery connected with his former apartment.

• 2012

  Temporary relocation to St. Ita’s Church

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  Casa Jesus moves with Bishop Abramowicz Seminary while the Holy Name Cathedral convent is renovated.

• 2009

  Octavio Muñoz becomes rector

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  Casa Jesus alumnus Octavio Muñoz is appointed rector.

• 2006

  Move to Holy Name Cathedral convent

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  The formation house relocates to a former convent at Holy Name Cathedral.

• 1994

  Program relocates and broadens international recruitment

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  Casa Jesus moves to Notre Dame de Chicago parish and expands recruitment from Colombia to additional Latin American countries.

• 1990

  Filipetto continues the program after Perez’s departure

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  Silvano Filipetto assumes continuing responsibility for Casa Jesus after Arturo Perez leaves the program.

• 1987

  Casa Jesus is established

  [1]Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org

  The Archdiocese of Chicago opens Casa Jesus as a house of discernment and initial formation for Spanish-speaking priesthood candidates.

A culturally and linguistically specialized Catholic formation program intended to help Spanish-speaking and Latin American men discern the priesthood and transition into formal seminary education.

• Religious vocational formation · 1987

  Casa Jesus residential formation program

  The core offering was a communal residential program for men discerning Catholic priesthood. Residents participated in prayer, spiritual direction, English study, catechetical work, youth ministry, and community life. The program served as an initial stage before candidates moved to a formal seminary.

• Educational formation · 1987

  English and transition preparation

  Casa Jesus helped Spanish-speaking and Latin American candidates develop English-language skills and adapt to the pastoral and educational environment of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Candidates who progressed typically transferred to Mundelein Seminary or St. Joseph College Seminary.

• 2025

  Former alumnus removed from ministry

  Xamie Reyes, identified as a graduate of the program, was reported to have been removed from priestly ministry in the Chicago archdiocese following accusations of sexual misconduct with seminarians.

  Source

• 2016

  Criminal charge and closure of the program

  Muñoz was charged with possession of child pornography and later arrested in Chicago following extradition proceedings. Casa Jesus suspended operations in September 2016.

  Source

• 2016

  Additional misconduct cases involving priests associated with the program

  Reference accounts describe arrests and other misconduct allegations involving priests with ties to Casa Jesus, contributing to broader scrutiny of the program’s formation practices and oversight.

  Source

• 2015

  Child-pornography investigation involving former rector

  A laptop found in the former apartment of rector Octavio Muñoz appeared to contain child pornography. The Archdiocese of Chicago investigated, removed Muñoz from ministry, and withdrew his priestly faculties. The incident later resulted in criminal charges.

  Source

• 2002

  Allegations involving an alumnus and former participant

  A civil lawsuit reportedly included allegations that priest alumnus Domingo Hurtado-Badillo brought Casa Jesus students to gay bars and sexually assaulted a fellow student. The allegations and their legal disposition should be interpreted separately from criminal convictions.

  Source

Read more

• 2016

  Suspend Casa Jesus operationsStrategy

  Background

  The program faced the criminal case involving former rector Octavio Muñoz and wider scrutiny of misconduct connected with some alumni and participants.

  Action taken

  The Archdiocese of Chicago suspended Casa Jesus in September 2016.

  Aftermath

  Casa Jesus ceased operating under its original identity, although some former participants continued seminary studies and the building later acquired another formation-related use.

  Source

• 2012

  Move to St. Ita’s during cathedral-convent renovationsOther

  Background

  The Holy Name Cathedral convent required major renovations and was being reconsidered for future archdiocesan use.

  Action taken

  Casa Jesus and Bishop Abramowicz Seminary moved to facilities at St. Ita’s Church.

  Aftermath

  The programs continued operating away from the cathedral property while construction proceeded.

  Source

• 1994

  Expand recruitment beyond Chicago and ColombiaStrategy

  Background

  Casa Jesus sought to serve a wider pool of Spanish-speaking candidates and moved closer to its English-language studies.

  Action taken

  The program relocated to Notre Dame de Chicago parish and expanded recruitment to Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and other Latin American countries.

  Aftermath

  Its candidate base became more international and included both experienced seminarians and men entering formation from secular life.

  Source

• 1987

  Create a Spanish-language vocational discernment houseStrategy

  Background

  The Archdiocese of Chicago faced a growing Spanish-speaking Catholic population and sought a formation route tailored to Latin American candidates.

  Action taken

  It approved Casa Jesus as a residential community where candidates could discern priesthood, learn English, and prepare for seminary.

  Aftermath

  The program became an entry point for hundreds of men and eventually produced dozens of ordained priests for the archdiocese.

  Source

1. 1Casa Jesusen.wikipedia.org