Category Archives: Tom Andert

Eleven SJP Grads Among Monk Perpetrators

Among the 100+ accused perpetrators at St. John’s are eleven graduates of St. John’s Preparatory School: Fr. Angelo Zankl (SJP ’18) Abbot John Eidenschink (SJP ’31) Fr. Aloysius Michels (SJP ’30) Fr. Allen Tarlton (SJP ’46) Fr. Thomas Thole (SJP … Continue reading

Father Andert Removed from Prep School’s Melk Reunion Page

In the past 24 hours, Father Tom Andert’s name was removed from the “Melk Reunion” page on the St. John’s Prep School Web Site.

St. John’s Abbey Hit With Two New Clergy Sex Abuse Cases

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — Fighting through tears on Tuesday, Todd Belrose recounted 35 years of pain resulting from alleged clergy sex abuse by Father Thomas Andert.

Ex-prior abused St. John’s Prep students

(SC Times) Two lawsuits filed Tuesday name St. John’s Abbey’s former prior the Rev. Tom Andert as an abuser of two former students in the 1970s and early ’80s.

Andert Named in Two Lawsuits

Announce the filing of two civil lawsuits naming St. John’s Abbey and Father Tom Andert as defendants. One of the survivors, sexually abused by Fr. Andert when he was 14 years old, will speak publicly using his name at tomorrow’s … Continue reading

Abbey Admits: Andert Victim Never Interviewed

A February 6, 2016 press release from St. John’s Abbey [ View ] claimed that allegations of sexual abuse against Father Tom Andert were found to be unsubstantiated after “a six-month-long, comprehensive investigation into the claims.” However, according to a February 12, 2016 … Continue reading

Klassen: Allegation against Andert is unsubstantiated

(SC Times) Allegations of sexual abuse against the former prior of St. John’s Abbey have been found to be unsubstantiated, according to Abbot John Klassen.

Abbey Statement Regarding Father Tom Andert

Allegations of sexual abuse brought last year against the Rev. Thomas Andert, OSB, have been found to be unsubstantiated. The conclusion comes at the end of a six-month-long, comprehensive investigation into the claims.

Abuse allegations ‘unsubstantiated’ against former St. John’s Abbey prior

(MPR) Sexual abuse allegations against the former prior at St. John’s Abbey were found to be unsupported after a 6-month investigation, Abbey officials said Thursday.

29 Questions for Abbot John Klassen, OSB

A list of questions for the open forum “regarding sexual abuse” to be held at 3:00pm today on the campus of Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

A year after son’s suicide, parents seek change at St. John’s

(MPR) It’s been a year since Ben Spanier took his life. His parents say his problems began 20 years earlier, when he was a student at St. John’s Prep in Collegeville. They say their son wasn’t the same after he … Continue reading

Catholic Church Sex Abuse Survivors Frustrated By Pope Francis’ US Visit, Lack Of Action

[Marker] pointed to the case of his classmate Ben Spanier, whose parents allege he was abused by the Rev. Thomas Andert at Saint John’s Abbey in the mid-1990s. Pending a separate investigation, the accused priest was put on leave this past … Continue reading

‘Incest’ best describes abuse by those you trust

“I thought of this when I recently learned a victim of sexual predation at St. John’s Preparatory School recently took his life. I thought of this as I reflected on my own experience as a victim of sexual assault while … Continue reading

Andert, Taylor, Ward, Backous “Under Investigation”

An investigation into misconduct by Father Tom Andert is reportedly underway [ Link ]. The results of three previously announced “investigations” into alleged abuse by three monk perpetrators (Fathers Dan Ward, Mel Taylor and Timothy Backous) have yet to be … Continue reading

No. 2 Leader at St. John’s Abbey Steps Aside on Abuse Claim

(KSTP – 5) St. John’s Abbey says its No. 2 leader, the Rev. Tom Andert, has stepped aside because of an allegation of a sex crime involving a former student at Saint John’s Preparatory School.

Klassen to Saint John’s Friends, Faculty and Staff

Fri 8/21/2015 12:31 PM Dear Saint John’s Friends, Faculty and Staff,

Longtime leader at St. John’s Abbey accused of sex abuse

(StarTribune) The Rev. Thomas Andert, the prior at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, has been removed from his leadership position following an allegation of student sex abuse.

(MPR) Monastery prior steps aside pending investigation

The prior of the monastery at Saint John’s Abbey has stepped aside because of an allegation of sexual misconduct involving a former student at Saint John’s Preparatory School, according to a spokesperson for the abbey in Collegeville, Minn. View entire … Continue reading

Prep School Staff Members Take a Stand

On Wednesday, six brave staff members at the Saint John’s Preparatory School took a stand. The six: Jennifer Whitehead – Guidance/Counseling Sally Battig – Executive Administrative Assistant to the Headmaster Jeffrey R Engholm – Music Teacher Sandra L. Ernst – Student Accounts and Records Mary Jo … Continue reading

Andert Will Attend Reunion This Weekend, His Victim Will Not

Ben will not be attending his 20-year reunion, however. He committed suicide in December of 2014.