“As long as St. John’s has this man on the payroll, I will no longer give my money to St. John’s,” Busch wrote. “I will not support lies and false statements and half truths about anyone.”

[Webmaster's Note: This quote is not about Abbot John Klassen, Prior Tom Andert or any of the offending monks and other personnel at St. John's Abbey, St. John's University or St. John's Prep School in Collegeville, Minnesota. Perhaps if more people withheld money for legitimate reasons [ Like this Alum ] , the Abbey would fully disclose the crimes committed by its members and representatives, and reach out to victims.]

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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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The following monks from St. John’s Abbey have web sites:

Fr. Tom Andert
Fr. Timothy Backous
Br. Dennis Beach
Fr. Nickolas Becker
Br. Isaac Connolly

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Br. Isaac Connolly [ Link ] took his down.
Fr. Finian McDonald [ Link ] did the same.
Now Fr. Brennan Maiers [ Link ] is taking a shot.

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Below is the text from several love letters that Father Tom Andert wrote to a minor student in 1994. At the time the letters were written, Fr. Andert was the principal at St. John’s Prep School in Collegeville, MN.

Despite the Abbey’s knowledge of this and other inappropriate behavior by Fr. Tom Andert, he is now the prior at St. John’s Abbey/Monastery. Fr. Andert also held a spot on the Abbey’s External Review Board, which was created as a result of a 2002 settlement with victims of abuse. The public was told that the Board was created, in part, to monitor activity of members of the St. John’s community who acted inappropriately.
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As a young boy growing up in St. Joseph, Minnesota and later, an an employee at St. John’s University and tutor at St. John’s Prep School, Daniel A Rassier had contact with several monks from St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Pedophile priests Fr. Cosmas Dahlheimer [ More ], Fr. Brennan Maiers [ More ] and Fr. Tom Gillespie [ More ] all worked at the church in St. Joseph. Colleagues of Dan Rassier, including Fr. Bruce Wollmering, Fr. Michael Bik, Fr. Tom Andert and others [ More ] have also been accused of misconduct.

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Developing… According to Abbot John Klassen, St. John’s Abbey has settled at least one complaint against lay (non-clergy) staff members since 2002.

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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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Br. Isaac Connolly, a monk at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN recently took down his Facebook page [ Link ] after it was featured in the new “Meet the Monks” section on the Behind the Pine Curtain web site ( http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com ). The Facebook account was public for over three months.
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Meet the Monks at St. John’s Abbey
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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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During his junior year (1993-1994) at St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville, MN, [Victim] was dealing with issues at home, issues typical of a boarding school student, and the pressures of being a third generation Johnnie. In addition to these pressures, [Victim] was struggling with his sexuality and how to tell his parents that he was gay.
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In 1994, Father Tom Andert sent a series of letters to a high school student. During the time these letter were written, Andert was able to get the student out of class to go on walks. Andert also took the student into the Twin Cities where Andert showed the student gay bars. Andert’s hand made it to the student’s thigh on more than one occasion in the car and in Andert’s prep School office, where Andert held the position of headmaster (or principal). Andert’s grooming behavior was interrupted when an adult brought his affections to the attention of Abbot Timothy Kelly. Andert left the Prep School soon after. In 2002, Abbot Klassen agreed to pay for therapy for the victim. Because there was no reported “sexual” contact, Andert has never been disciplined. Instead, he has been elevated to the position of Prior.

Letters are Here.

Three new names added to “The List”: Othmar Hohmann, Cyril Gorman, Anthony Ruff

Regarding Bruce Wollmering… we have received information regarding harassment claims against Wollmering and his dismissal from the University. The Abbey and University allegedly covered up the harassment claims, failed to report the claims to the proper authorities and allowed Wollmering to stay on as an instructor, then resign at the end of the semester. Wollmering has also allegedly admitted to relationships with at least three university students.
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A St. John’s Abbey priest whose role on a review board brought criticism last month hasn’t served on the board since early 2007, according to a letter issued this week by the leader of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville.
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This article was completed on November 4, 2007. The former SJP student noted in this essay has vetted it along with the families involved. I quote them directly from their most recent statements and have reviewed my notes from the time of the first reports. This is an example of how complicated and long lasting are the effects of betrayal by the trusted. A sad aspect is the divided loyalties that gnaw at the hearts of good people. Secrecy feeds the fear, embarrassment and guilt for inappropriate clergy behavior. Catholic tradition records for centuries the problem of clerics who betray their trust and misuse their position of power. (Cf. Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes) Are there institutions of integrity and accountability to fight the problem from within?
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A Twin Cities-based lawyer is calling for a St. John’s Abbey monk to be removed from an external review board that examines clergy abuse because he says the monk was once involved with sexual misconduct.
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30th Sunday in Ordinary Time / 22nd Sunday after Pentecost
Feast of Sts. Simon & Jude, Apostles & Martyrs (Anglican Calendar)

Bryan forwarded me an email he received from a friend of his earlier today on a particular matter that is causing me grief even though I’m halfway across the world. I share in the pain and questioning that is undoubtedly going on at the moment in this community.
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This letter was written September 30, 2007 to Lee Hanley, a public relations person at St. John’s and an old friend. I had received numerous complaints about my alma mater from around the country. I wanted it to get to the current Abbot who had appeared to be dedicated to improving monastic behavior by setting up an External Review Board to work with the monastery to help young people be safe. I hoped it might stave off some problems. It did not. This and the following article is a personal dialogue.

From: http://www.richardsipe.com/Dialogue/Dialogue-15-2007-09-30.html
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Collegeville, MN — Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B., has appointed Fr. Thomas Andert, O.S.B., to be prior of Saint John’s Abbey effective July 1, 2007. In a Benedictine abbey the prior is the abbot’s primary assistant in serving the monastic community. When the abbot is away from the monastery the prior assumes the abbot’s leadership role.
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Br. Isaac Connolly, dean of students and director of residential life, is on an administrative leave for the 2000-01 academic year. During the year, Br. Isaac will be visiting other college and university residence life programs to study residential learning communities. In Br. Isaac’s absence, his responsibilities are divided among other staff members as noted below.
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