St. John’s Abbey on Tuesday issued an apology and said it regretted “shortcomings” in its statement last month about the work history and whereabouts of an abbey monk after the monk was accused of sexual abuse.

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The Rule of Saint Benedict teaches, “Receive everyone as Christ.” I am deeply sorry that some members of the Saint John’s monastic community have violated such a fundamental part of our commitment by engaging in abusive sexual behavior with people in our schools and parishes. They have not simply broken their vow of chastity, but have inflicted serious harm on their victims.
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Note: The following letter was written by Abbot John Klassen, in support of Allen Tarlton and a letter Tarlton wrote to the members of the Oblates program. Abbot Klassen knew, when he wrote his letter, that Father Tarlton had more than one victim. In fact, at the time this letter was written, Tarlton was known to have had acted inappropriately with at least six University and Prep School students. That number is now over a dozen. The Abbey has settled complaints with several of Tarlton’s victims. The Abbot also knew that other claims made in Tarlton’s letter were inaccurate.
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The Rev. John Eidenschink, former St. John’s abbot, has admitted that he sexually abused two abbey monks, one before he was elected abbot in 1971 and another during his eight-year tenure, current Abbot John Klassen said Friday.
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