(Duluth News Tribune) A Benedictine priest has been placed on administrative leave from Essentia Health and has been asked to discontinue assisting at St. Michael\u2019s parish in Duluth after allegations resurfaced that he sexually molested a boy during a choir tour in Europe 25 years ago.<\/p>\n
The Rev. Timothy Backous \u201chas carried out his duties here \u2026 in an exemplary manner and consistent with his vows and responsibilities,\u201d said the Rev. James Bissonette, vicar general of the Diocese of Duluth, in a statement posted on the diocese\u2019s website this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cNonetheless, we take such matters extremely seriously and have asked Father Backous to suspend his weekend work at the parish until a fuller examination of the facts can be completed.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a separate statement, Essentia Health said Backous had offered to take leave from his role as vice president for mission integration and Benedictine sponsorship.<\/p>\n
Backous was appointed to the position, which primarily involved ministering in the Catholic hospitals in the Twin Ports, in August.<\/p>\n
Backous\u2019 whereabouts were unknown, and he wasn\u2019t immediately available for a comment.<\/p>\n
The actions came after the release of a May 31 letter to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from a St. Cloud couple complaining that their allegations about Backous hadn\u2019t been addressed.<\/p>\n
Chris and Kathy McDermid say their son toured Europe with the St. John\u2019s Boys\u2019 Choir, which then was a part of St. John\u2019s Abbey, during the summer of 1990. Backous went along as a chaperone, the McDermids said in their letter.<\/p>\n
Their son, who turned 13 during the tour, exhibited markedly different behavior after his return, said the couple, both of whom are retired teachers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thought of it as teenage bad behavior,\u201d Kathy McDermid said in a telephone interview with both on Thursday.<\/p>\n
But after a year went by, their son told them he had been sexually abused by Backous, she said.<\/p>\n
The couple removed their son from choir and saw that he received therapy, she said. They also took the allegation to the Stearns County Sheriff\u2019s Office and were told it was out of their jurisdiction, she said.<\/p>\n
The abbey paid for their son\u2019s therapy and promised that Backous wouldn\u2019t have any more involvement with the choir or any more access to students.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey promised that Father Backous would be sent into therapy far away,\u201d Kathy McDermid said. \u201cSo we thought that it was taken care of. We trusted that everything was done.\u201d<\/p>\n
The McDermids said they were shocked to learn from a friend that Backous had preached at the Basilica of St. Mary\u2019s in Minneapolis during Memorial Day weekend. They further learned that Backous had served as headmaster of St. John\u2019s Prep School in recent years.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what prompted the McDermids to send their letter to the archdiocese, they said.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Abbott John Klassen of St. John\u2019s Abbey defended Backous.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe allegations were not substantiated,\u201d Klassen wrote. \u201cFather Backous has no restrictions placed upon him. I have absolute confidence in his integrity and character.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released a statement Thursday, saying it was unaware of the allegations against Rev. Backous, and that they had received a letter from St. John\u2019s Abbey which stood as a testament to Backous\u2019 good standing before he was allowed to minister within the archdiocese.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince this accusation is new to us, we have contacted the abbot at Saint John\u2019s Abbey and Rev. Backous, and requested Rev. Backous temporarily refrain from ministering in the archdiocese until we can obtain more information surrounding this accusation, and how it was addressed by the Order of Saint Benedict. We believe this is a prudent response and is consistent with our commitment to protect children and help in healing,\u201d the archdiocese said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The McDermids said they aren\u2019t aware of any allegations against Backous other than their own. But they said there\u2019s no doubt in their minds that the abuse occurred. Their son, who now lives in California, still suffers the effects, they said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe often has situations where he has difficulties with this still,\u201d Kathy McDermid said.<\/p>\n
Chris McDermid said that when their son was in college he once was with a group attending a play at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Their son happened to see that Backous was in the audience and had a \u201cmeltdown,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The McDermids said their son has been in contact with Jeff Anderson and Associates of St. Paul, a firm that specializes in clergy sexual abuse cases. But to their knowledge, he hasn\u2019t filed a lawsuit. They declined to name their son.<\/p>\n
The parents will take no legal action, they said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just want Father Backous to be removed from the ministry and not have any access to children,\u201d Kathy McDermid said.<\/p>\n
But they wouldn\u2019t object to the Essentia Health position as long as he was never alone with children, Chris McDermid said.<\/p>\n
The Catholic Church has been embroiled in clergy sexual abuse allegations in recent years, including in Minnesota.<\/p>\n
Under court orders, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in December named 30 priests whom it said had been credibly accused of abuse. A week later, Jeff Anderson\u2019s firm filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Duluth, asking that names and files of at least 17 credibly accused priests be made public.<\/p>\n
In his statement, Klassen said St. John\u2019s Abbey had acknowledged \u201ccredible accusations\u201d and reached out to victims.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we also hope that those who are innocent will not have to live under clouds of doubt because of the actions of others,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
He also wrote that he believed the McDermids were sincere.<\/p>\n
Read Entire Article and View Comments\u2026 Here<\/a><\/p>\n Priest on leave from Essentia, St. Michael’s parish after allegations aired (Duluth News Tribune) A Benedictine priest has been placed on administrative leave from Essentia Health and has been asked to discontinue assisting at St. Michael\u2019s parish in Duluth after allegations resurfaced that he sexually molested a boy during a choir … Continue reading
\nJohn Lundy
\nDuluth News Tribune
\nJune 13, 2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"