Category Archives: John Klassen

Abbey Now Admits to 23 Monk Perpetrators

Saint John’s Abbey quietly admitted, via a revamped web site in the summer of 2012, that at least 23 members of its community had been credibly accused of sexual abuse or misconduct.

Alleged Rape (and a current coverup) at Saint John’s

In light of the current investigation underway by law enforcement, I would like to know who authorized the (near complete) scrubbing of [BM’s] name from the SJU Athletic Department web site. [Webmaster’s Note: This email is a follow-up to a September … Continue reading

Ward and Taylor Under Investigation

Father Dan Ward, OSB and Father Mel Taylor OSB, both priests/monks from Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota (USA) are under investigation following claims of sexual and other misconduct. The investigations were commissioned with the knowledge of Abbot John Klassen … Continue reading

Letter to CLSA regarding Dan Ward Investigation

[Webmaster’s Note: Sr. Sharon Euart is the Executive Coordinator of the Canon Law Society of America (CLSA) and serves of Board of Directors of the Resource Center for Religious Institutes (RCRI) where Father Dan Ward, OSB serves as Executive Director. Sr. Sharon … Continue reading

Letters and Statements to the Saint John’s Community

[Webmaster’s Note: For almost twenty years, the leadership at Saint John’s claims to have written articles and sent letters and emails regarding sexual misconduct to the members of its community. If you are a member of the Saint John’s community, … Continue reading

Abuser on Gagliardi’s Staff After Abuse Revelation

A July, 1992 letter from Father Dan Ward (monk and attorney for Saint John’s Abbey) claimed that Brother John Kelly “had been removed from his work at the prep school and the university” following allegations of sexual misconduct.  Contents of … Continue reading

Father Mel Taylor Confronted at Mass, Leaves Bahamas

Father Mel Taylor reportedly left the Bahamas on Monday, June 4, 2012, a day after he was confronted during mass by a man who claimed Father Mel Taylor had pursued him (for a sexual relationship) over a year and a … Continue reading

Abbey & Diocese Shuffle Offending Priests

Reverend Jerome Tupa, OSB, from pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville, to pastor of the Church of Saint Joseph, Saint Joseph. Reverend Mel Taylor, OSB, to pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville.

SJU Employee Admits to Threat

I briefly spoke with Benson who indicated that he did write the Facebook post and indicated that he wrote this in response to the opinion posted by Marker in the St. Cloud Times. He identified John Gagliardi as his grandfather … Continue reading

Monks, Priests and Fathers

According to multiple credible sources, several of the monks at Saint John’s have fathered children.

John Gagliardi Comments on Abuse (1067 Miles Away)

The most shocking thing about Saint John’s list of eighteen monk offenders… at least nine of the men on the list remain on campus today.

Michael W Weber – The Saint John’s Connection

Here are Michael Weber’s (currently known) connections to Saint John’s:

SJU hires search firm to seek its next president

COLLEGEVILLE — St. John’s University has hired a search firm to help find its next president, and for the first time the pool of candidates could include someone who isn’t a member of the monastery.

Student’s Letter to Abbot John Klassen

There are a number of disturbing claims circulating on the internet and through student gossip about the history and current state of our own institution’s misconduct violations. [Webmaster’s Note: The letter below was sent to Klassen on Thursday, December 1, … Continue reading

Abbot Klassen Covered Up Abuse

According to the abbey’s own records, at least twenty-one priests from Saint John’s Abbey were assigned to St. Anselm’s and St. Benedict’s in the Bronx between 1939 and 1976. In the 1960’s, one of those Saint John’s Abbey priests, Fr. … Continue reading

SJU Mentor Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Michael W. Weber (SJU ’66) has been mentoring Saint John’s University students as part of the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship despite Abbot John Klassen’s and Saint John’s University’s knowledge of allegations of sexual misconduct.

Gagliardi’s Puzzling Response

Saint John’s University football coach John Gagliardi has finally spoken on the record about sexual misconduct. In a Saint Cloud Times article regarding sex abuse at Penn State and Joe Paterno, Gagliardi said, “It’s just hard to believe anything like this … Continue reading

Br. Paul Richards Removed

Abbot John Klassen has removed Br. Paul Richards as director of formation at Saint John’s Abbey. The removal may have occurred on October 8, 2011. According to the abbey’s web site, Br. Richards no longer serves as spokesperson for the Benedictine abbey. … Continue reading

Abbey’s Motion to Dismiss Denied; Parry Case Moves Forward

On October 21, 2011 a judge in Nodaway County, Missouri dismissed Conception Abbey’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought against the Abbey by one of Fr. Bede Parry’s victims. Fr. Parry was a visiting monk at Saint John’s Abbey from … Continue reading

50 Years Ago… One New Church, Several New Victims

In 1961, Saint John’s Abbey dedicated a new church in Collegeville, Minnesota [ More ]. That same year, at a parish in nearby St. Joseph, one of the monks from Saint John’s Abbey was molesting young girls.