‘Incest’ best describes abuse by those you trust

Posted on September 24, 2015
Posted in Opinion, Tom Andert

“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 at St. John’s Prep and how it took me 30 years before I could openly discuss my experience without fearing shame, remorse, guilt or reprisal.” – Maj John Donovan

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The Perpetrator’s Psalm

Posted on September 20, 2015
Posted in Anthony Ruff, John Klassen, Pope Francis, Pope Francis 2015 Visit
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Courtesy: YouTube

Credibly accused Saint John’s Abbey monk perpetrator Father Anthony Ruff wrote a psalm that will be used during Pope Francis’ visit to the United States later this week.

While Father Ruff’s psalm has received some attention (Saint Cloud Times,  Saint Cloud Diocese, Catholic Herald), credible allegations of sexual misconduct against Father Ruff have yet to be publicly acknowledged by the leadership at Saint John’s Abbey.

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Andert, Taylor, Ward, Backous “Under Investigation”

Posted on August 24, 2015
Posted in Dan Ward, Mel Taylor, Tim Backous, Tom Andert

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 make public.

Will the investigation into Father Tom Andert be any different?

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

Posted on August 21, 2015
Posted in Richard Sipe, Tom Andert

20150820_Andert(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.

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Klassen to Saint John’s Friends, Faculty and Staff

Posted on August 21, 2015
Posted in Bradley Jenniges, John Klassen, Tom Andert

Fri 8/21/2015 12:31 PM

Dear Saint John’s Friends, Faculty and Staff,

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

Posted on August 20, 2015
Posted in Aelred Senna, Bradley Jenniges, David Clohessy, Richard Sipe, Tom Andert

(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.

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(MPR) Monastery prior steps aside pending investigation

Posted on August 20, 2015
Posted in Aelred Senna, John Klassen, Tom Andert

Andert_1979The 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 MPR article… Here

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Prep School Staff Members Take a Stand

Posted on August 6, 2015
Posted in Dan Ward, Jennifer Whitehead, Jeremy Meyer, Jonathan Licari, Mary Jo Leighton, Mel Taylor, Sally Battig, Sandra L. Ernst, Tim Backous, Tom Andert

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 Leighton – Associate Director of Admissions/United States
Jeremy Meyer – Associate Director of Admissions/International Recruitment

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Kettler to Address Some, Not All, Perps

Posted on August 3, 2015
Posted in Brennan Maiers, Cosmas Dahlheimer, Dan Ward, Donald Kettler, Fran Hoefgen, Francisco Schulte, James Thoennes, Mel Taylor, Othmar Hohmann, Richard Eckroth, Robert Blumeyer, Thomas Gillespie, William Wey

Bishop_Donald_Kettler_of_Fairbanks_Alaska_File_Photo_CNA_CNA_9_20_13According to the Diocese of St. Cloud web site [ View ] , “Bishop Donald Kettler will hold a series of listening sessions in August following allegations of sexual abuse committed by three priests of the diocese.”

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Questionable Data Used as Basis for Prep School Press Release

Posted on July 30, 2015
Posted in Jonathan Licari, PR Machine

Headmaster Father Jonathan Licari, OSB and Saint John’s Preparatory School reportedly use five anonymous online reviews as basis for a glowing press release.

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Protected: Rev. Ian Dommer Removed from Prep School

Posted on July 22, 2015
Posted in Ian Dommer, Isidore Glyer, John Klassen

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Andert Will Attend Reunion This Weekend, His Victim Will Not

Posted on June 25, 2015
Posted in Brennan Maiers, John Klassen, Richard Sipe, Timothy Kelly, Tom Andert

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

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Abbey Releases Eckroth Obituary Minus Allegations

Posted on May 28, 2015
Posted in Richard Eckroth

Despite the abbey’s well-researched decisions to add Father Richard Eckroth’s name to several lists of monk with allegations of sexual abuse involving minors [ View ], the abbey’s obituary for Father Eckroth [ View ] made no mention of his misconduct.

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Monk repeatedly accused of sex abuse dies at abbey

Posted on May 28, 2015
Posted in Richard Eckroth

(SC Times) St. John’s Abbey monk the Rev. Richard Eckroth, who was repeatedly accused of sexually abusing children, died Sunday at the abbey. He was 88.

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St. John’s monk accused of sexual abuse dies at 88

Posted on May 28, 2015
Posted in Richard Eckroth

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (KMSP) – A St. John’s monk suspected of sexually abusing several children died on Sunday at the age of 88. Father Richard Eckroth is on a list of credibly accused clerics from St. John’s Abbey and the Diocese of St. Cloud.

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Jury acquits ex-priest accused of sexual abuse in Hastings church

Posted on May 26, 2015
Posted in Fran Hoefgen

“Proving beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred 24-26 years ago without significant corroborating physical evidence of the crime itself is always a difficult task,” Backstrom said. “Without such corroborating evidence the jury must render its decision based primarily upon one person’s word against that of another.” Jeff Anderson, an attorney representing Hoefgen’s accuser in a civil case, said he was not surprised by the verdict. The jury was never informed about other accusations of child abuse against Hoefgen, he said, nor of his treatment at St. Luke Institute in Maryland, a facility that often treats clergy sex offenders.

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Father Richard Eckroth Dies; Abbey Silent

Posted on May 26, 2015
Posted in Richard Eckroth

1971_Eckroth_CabinFather Richard Eckroth, a monk from Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota (USA) reportedly died at 4:25pm on Sunday in the abbey’s retirement home. Eckroth’s funeral is scheduled for 3pm on Friday, May 29, 2015.

Father Richard Eckroth is one of the Saint John’s Abbey most notorious alleged sex offenders [ View] and was the subject a 2002 article (“Sins of a Father: ‘Sauna Kids’ Abuse“) in INSIGHT Magazine.

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Photos: Saint John’s Prep

Posted on May 24, 2015
Posted in Photos

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Former Hastings priest to be tried this week in sex abuse case

Posted on May 19, 2015
Posted in Fran Hoefgen

A former Hastings priest accused of sexual abuse 25 years ago is set to go on trial this week.

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Police search St. John’s Abbey for Hoefgen files

Posted on May 15, 2015
Posted in Fran Hoefgen

An investigator from the Hastings Police Department served a search warrant last week at St. John’s Abbey in connection with the prosecution of former abbey monk Fran Hoefgen.

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