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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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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On October 2, 2002 the St. Cloud Times reported that a settlement agreement between St. John’s and several victims had been reached. Three days later, and one month before Joshua Guimond disappeared, another article appeared in the St. Cloud Times.
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Wollmering’s room searched by County officials.

Wollmering’s Victim Count Now 6

Father Wollmering’s obituary references his “retirement” from his position as teacher and counselor at St. John’s University.
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Saint John’s Abbey was well represented at this Congress. Timothy Kelly, OSB, was there as the American Cassinese Congregation’s president. William Skudlarek, OSB, updated the Congress on thework of the Monastic Interreligious Dialog (MID). Michael Naughton, OSB, presented a report as the priorof Sant’ Anselmo. Anthony Ruff, OSB, and Francisco Schulte, OSB, served as simultaneous translators for German and Spanish/Italian presentations, respectively.
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COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. — Liturgical Press recently published Demythologizing Celibacy: Practical Wisdom from Christian and Buddhist Monasticism by Father William Skudlarek OSB. In September 2007 the Abbot Primate appointed Father William, a monk of Saint John’s Abbey, General Secretary of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue. Drawing on the monastic interreligious dialogue, Father William considers the Buddhist view of celibacy, which is not mythologized as a response to a divine call or as a superhuman way of life. He examines their regard for it as simply — and profoundly — a path to freedom, peace, and happiness. As Christians become aware of the benefits of celibacy for monks who observe it without reference to the Gospel, they may be able to appreciate all the more its importance and value for those who wish to follow Christ as celibates, and in this way come to share in the freedom of the children of God.
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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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Collegeville, Minn. — Rita Prince and Terry Ryan stood beneath the massive concrete bell tower at St. John’s University in Collegeville, clutching a picture of their brother. In the 1960s-era photo, Patrick Ryan is dressed smartly in a black suit, his reddish-brown hair swept to the side.
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SHOREVIEW – A national support group for people molested by clergy plans to pass out leaflets in protest today outside a Shoreview church where a Collegeville monk worked for two years.
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COLLEGEVILLE – A former St. John’s Preparatory School student launched a Web site Wednesday to help molestation victims and challenged Catholic officials in a letter to defend delays in notifying potential victims.
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Mr. Marker is an honorable man who did the honorable thing which of course raises the question as to where do Chairman Baraga and the rest of the board stand on this issue. I wish the Times would do the kind of investigative journalism they and the St. Joe Leader did on the allegations of horrifying sexual abuse by numerous Abbey members in the early 90′s.
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COLLEGEVILLE – Pat Marker felt he was prevented from helping those who needed help the most. Marker resigned in protest Friday from an external review board formed as part of St. John’s Abbey’s response to a clergy sexual abuse scandal.
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COLLEGEVILLE – A member of the external review board formed as part of St. John’s Abbey’s response to allegations of sexual misconduct has resigned in protest of what he said was a delay in publicly disclosing accusations of sexual abuse.
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ST. LOUIS PARK – St. John’s Abbey officials say the claims made Wednesday by a national advocacy group for clergy molestation victims are inaccurate.
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August 9, 2006

Dear Abbot Klassen:

Founded in 1989, SNAP is a 7000+ member support group for women and men who have been wounded by sexually abusive priests, nuns, seminarians and bishops. We are the largest and oldest such self-help group dedicated to healing the wounded and protecting the vulnerable.
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The names have been added to the list of St. John’s Abbey clerics who have faced allegations of sexual abuse recently or in the more distant past. The names of three priests accused of sexual misconduct, primarily in the 1970s and ’80s, have been released by St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minn., abbey officials said Wednesday.
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COLLEGEVILLE – New allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced Friday against three members of the St. John’s monastic community. The Revs. Michael Bik, Bruce Wollmering and the late Rev. Robert Blumeyer were named in a statement by the abbey based on an annual review board report to Abbot John Klassen.
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St. John’s Abbey is asking those who have been victimized by a former St. Cloud pastor to come forward after last year’s revelations of sexual abuse in the St. Cloud diocese.
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COLLEGEVILLE (AP) – The Rev. John Eidenschink, a former St. John’s abbot who admitted he sexually abused two abbey monks, has died.
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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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ST. CLOUD, Minn. – A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former St. John’s Preparatory School student accusing a St. John’s Abbey priest of sexual abuse, saying it was filed too late.
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As a Benedictine monk, Patrick Wall gained the reputation as a fix-it priest for the Catholic Church. His first four assignments wearing a Roman collar: straightening out parishes tainted by molestation and financial scandal.
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