Since the “Meet the Monks” section [ View ] was launched in May, the 721 monk profiles have been viewed a total of 64,478 times.

The most “popular” monks in June and July:

1. Fr. Francisco Schulte (1479 Views)
2. Fr. Thomas Gillespie (1468)
3. Fr. Tom Andert (1367)

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They also specify that priests who acquire, possess or distribute child pornography will be considered to have committed a serious offence subject to the same disciplinary action as abusers.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican on Thursday made sweeping revisions to its laws on sexual abuse of children by priests in its latest attempt to tackle a scandal that has shaken the Catholic Church around the world.

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At St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, several members of the Order of St. Benedict live under restrictions imposed by Abbot John Klassen. Some members faced with the possibility of restrictions have taken leaves from the order to consider whether they wish to remain members of the order. Klassen said in 2002 that as many as 15 monks or priests were on restriction at the abbey, including former Abbot John Eidenschink. Klassen last month declined an interview request from the Times to discuss the current state of the abbey and the monks on restriction.

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We received documents this evening showing that, in 1993, Abbot Jerome Theisen claimed that Fr. Otto Weber reported abuse by Fr. Allen Tarlton in 1979.

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“The abbey’s own statements reflect knowledge of Schulte’s misconduct since 1992. The fact that the abbey has failed to reach out to victims of Schulte even while calling on victims of other monks to come forward represents unprecedented deception and hypocrisy.”

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“We use the word “community” quite a bit in places like ours but forget its most elemental meaning – caring for each other.” – Blog Entry by Fr. Tim Backous, September 2, 2009

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Since the new “Meet the Monks” section [ Go There ] was launched earlier this month, visitors have viewed the 720 monk profiles a total of 21,563 times.

The most “popular” monks:

1. Br. Isaac Connolly (528 Views)
2. Fr. Michael Bik (476 Views)

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At least four claims made in the St. John’s Abbey “Statement on Father Francisco Schulte” (May 18, 2010) [ View ] are blatantly false or contradict other statements made by the Abbey:

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(Fox 9) ST. PAUL, Minn. – A man who says he was sexually abused by an instructor at St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville is filing a Ramsey County lawsuit against the school, the religious order of monks that runs it, and his alleged abuser.
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According to multiple sources, St. John’s Abbey’s offending monks:

- Br. Jim Phillips < - Sodomy; At least two victims
- Br. Andre Bennett <- Died 2007
- Fr. Cosmas Dahlheimer <- Died 2002
- Fr. Richard Eckroth
- Fr. John Eidenschink <- Died 2004
- Fr. Thomas Gillespie
- Fr. Brennan Maiers
- Fr. Finian McDonald
- Fr. Dunstan Moorse <- At least nine victims
- Fr. Allen Tarlton
- Br. Isaac Connelly
- Fr. Michael Bik
- Fr. Bruce Wollmering <- Died 2009
- Fr. Robert Blumeyer <- Died 1983
- Br. John Kelly <- In Twin Cities
- Fr. Francis Hoefgen <- In Twin Cities
- Fr. Francisco Schulte <- Fled to Rome in 1987 following abuse allegations. Taken off of restriction by Abbot John Klassen in 2003.
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Fr. Tom Andert, OSB, unless I’m very much mistaken, was part and parcel of the sexual underground at the Prep School during the ~1980 time frame. While I have no specific allegations of sexual abuse against him, nor do I know of any, he was very good friends and daily colleagues of Br. Jim Phillips and Father Alan Tarleton during the relevant time periods. I would be VERY much surprised to learn he did not know of the sexual shenanigans doing on in the boys’ dorm and elsewhere.
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Today (November 10, 2009) marks the seven year anniversary of Joshua Guimond’s disappearance from the St. John’s University campus in Collegeville, Minnesota.
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Press Release [ View as PDF ]

October 29, 2009 Press Release – “Justice for Josh” March

* Joshua Guimond disappeared while at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN in 2002.
* November 7, 2009 is the inaugural “Justice for Josh” march and will take place at noon.
* St. John’s recently denied a request by the Guimond family to mark the anniversary with an on-campus walk to raise awareness, claiming such an event “would not be productive”.
* The seven year anniversary of Joshua’s disappearance is November 10th.
* Supporters will meet near St. John’s University at noon, followed by a march at the Stearns County Sheriff’s office at 2pm.
* Several facts and new information regarding Joshua’s disappearance will be made public during the event.
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If you have lost your oblate pin, a replacement can be purchased by sending a check for $6.00 to Father Allen Tarlton at Saint John’s Abbey.
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Fr. Alan Tarlton, 80, is the Abbey’s only African American monk. He was not always alone.

When Tarlton was ordained in 955, there were four other African Americans priests, but, eventually, the abbey sent them off to do missionary work in the Bahamas, Kentucky and Indianapolis — leaving Tarlton to work as a prep-school English teacher and FR in Benet Hall alone, as the University’s sole African American educator for years.
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St. John’s Abbey Benedictine establishment at Collegeville, MN, the largest Benedictine monastery in the western world, adjacent to St. John’s University and St. John’s Preparatory School. At least 14 of the abbey’s nearly 200 monks have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct.
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Beginning with this issue, The Oblate will be issued quarterly. It also has a new editorial team:
Fr. Allen Tarlton has graciously offered to serve as the editor emeritus and continues to offer his
wisdom and guidance to Bjorn Gustafson and Joel Rainville, now serving as co-editors and Mary Fran
Karanikolas as layout editor. In order to better foster a sense of community, the editors would like
readers to provide feedback and material submissions.

The Oblate: Our Sense of Place
http://www.osb.org/oblate/pdf/075102.pdf

Br. Benet Tvedten, OSB, Oblate Director at Blue Cloud Abbey in South Dakota, has graciously permitted the
editors of The Oblate to reprint his article on the recent Oblate Directors’ Biennial Meeting at St Martin’s Abbey
in Lacey, Washington. Fr. Greg Miller, OSB, and Fr. Allen Tarlton, OSB, also attended this meeting.
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Accused clergy remain at St. John’s Abbey, schools Abbot releases information to end ‘culture of secrecy’ that aids abuse
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A Minneapolis man who accuses St. John’s Abbey of “harboring pedophiles” has filed a court action demanding the removal of 11 monks and priests from St. John’s property.
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COLLEGEVILLE — He’s the man they call on to get the job done whether on the farm, with soon-to-be monks, in the chemistry department or now as head of the St. John’s monastery.
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Its reputation for learning and liturgy, publishing and holiness, ecumenism and even bread-making are legendary and have grown over its 146-year existence, making St. John’s Abbey here — with its impressive abbey church and signature bell tower — a jewel in the Minnesota prairie landscape.
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Collegeville – An apology, validation and a promise to ensure sexual abuse won’t happen to another child or adult. These, for many survivors of clergy sexual abuse, are far more important than financial settlement.
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As allegations of sex abuse and coverup in the Catholic Church shook the nation this year, St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minn., confronted its own dark past. Former students came forward, some for the first time, to talk about what went on behind the Pine Curtain, the rows of conifers that surround the campus. Reporters Paul McEnroe and Pam Louwagie spent several months investigating reports of a sexual subculture that flourished there for decades.
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Under St. John’s policy, monks on restriction are to have no pastoral or teaching duties or unsupervised social contact with young people. They are not allowed to work in the prep school or university, use most campus facilities, or serve in parishes. They may not travel without permission. Some have been allowed limited travel.
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