It has been alleged that the individual identified as a “solemnly professed confrere,” who engaged in conduct characterized as “unwanted sexual advances” toward a junior member of the monastic community, was Reverend Michael‑Leonard Hahn, O.S.B. Said individual presently identifies as Michael Hahn, Ph.D. According to publicly available information on the official website of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Dr. Hahn currently serves in the capacity of Assistant Dean within the School of Education and holds the position of Program Director for Character and Virtue Education at the institution.
[Note: It is expressly noted that the alleged victim did not provide information pertaining to the initial complaint, the course of negotiations, or the terms of any settlement related to this matter. The undersigned has not initiated contact with any employee of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota within the preceding twelve (12) months. While it is acknowledged that Mr. Michael Hahn may be deemed qualified for his present position at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, multiple current and former employees have articulated contrary assessments regarding his suitability.]
Klassen’s Letter re Michael-Leonard Hahn’s “Unwanted Sexual Advances”
On September 14, 2020, Abbot John Klassen, OSB of Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota wrote a letter to Abbot Melvin Valvano, OSB, the spiritual leader of Newark Abbey in New Jersey. Newark Abbey, like Saint John’s, is a member of the American-Cassinese Congregation of Benedictine Monasteries.
In his letter, Klassen shared the background and experiences of a junior “novice” monk at Saint John’s Abbey who, according to Klassen, was not the “right fit” at Saint John’s. According to Klassen, the monk had been subject to “victimization relative to unwanted sexual advances by a solemnly professed confrere.”
The “solemnly professed confrere” who subjected the younger monk to “unwanted sexual advances” was Rev. Michael-Leonard Hahn, OSB. Hahn now goes by Michael Hahn, Ph.D., and according to the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota web site [View], Hahn is the assistant dean of the school of education and the current program director of character and virtue education at the university.
Abbot John Klassen’s letter of September, 2020 was written more than a year after Klassen reportedly first learned of the victimization in April of 2019.
Klassen’s letter was also written after:
- The victim, according to emails, was directed by Klassen to meet with the abbey’s legal “team” (Stacey Sever of the Stich Angell law firm and SJU professor Br. Dennis Beach, OSB) on May 7, 2019.
- The victim, according to emails, reported the victimization to a SJU professor (Ellen Campbell-Reed) on July 4, 2019 who reported it to the university’s Title IX coordinator (Judy Bednar).
- The victim, according to emails, met with another of the abbey’s attorneys (Mr. Garth Unke) on May 7, 2019.
- The victim sat for a two hour interview with abbey investigator (Michelle Soldo) on September 13, 2019.
All this to say that the victim survived not only misconduct by Father Michael-Leonard Hahn, OSB, but also endured a year of intimidation, interrogation and fear. He also lived with the fact that – during his interview with investigator Soldo – he was made aware of other individuals affected by Hahn. There is no indication that Soldo’s investigative report regarding Michael Hahn was made public or shared with those who might benefit from its contents.
With all of the information that he had processed regarding the matter, Klassen wrote to Abbot Valvano that this junior monk was under “considerable strain” and “was innocent in all respects” and “I regret that Saint John’s Abbey seems not to be the right fit for [the victim].”
The Sauna
One of the “unwanted sexual advances” by Michael Hahn reportedly occurred in the abbey’s sauna in October of 2017. At that time, the victim had been at the abbey for just three months. Hahn, on the other hand, had been a part of the Saint John’s community for seventeen years (since 2000), first as a college student and later, in 2009, as a monk at the abbey.
In October of 2017, Hahn was reportedly at Saint John’s Abbey for a short stay before returning to Boston where he was pursuing his doctorate. Hahn may have also traveled to Onamia during his visit to Minnesota.
On or around October 2, 2017 – after eight text messages from Hahn in twelve minutes – the “shy” junior monk agreed to join Hahn in the sauna. After all, Hahn assured him,”it’s a nice way to relax.”
Like many monk-on-monk offenders before him (including Anthony Ruff, Andre Bennett, Joachim Watrin, and John Eidenschink), Father Michael-Leonard Hahn appeared to have used his standing in the monastery… to take advantage of a sexual target. In fact, Abbot Klassen had categorized Eidenschink’s behavior as “sexual abuse.” (See below)
At the time of the sauna incident, and according to a former monk, Hahn was known as the abbey’s “Golden Boy” or “anointed prince” who some felt was on track to become the next president of Saint John’s University and perhaps, in time, abbot of Saint John’s Abbey.
Shortly after the junior monk arrived at the sauna and (according to an email) Hahn “made” the junior monk perform a sex act, which the victim did, to Hahn’s completion.
Rule of Saint Benedict
In order to understand the power dynamic in this situation and the hierarchy of a monastery, consider the following from The Rule of Saint Benedict:
“Whenever monks meet, the junior asks the senior for a blessing. When older monk come by, the younger rises and offers them a seat, and do not presume to sit down unless the older bids them. In this way, they do what the words of Scripture say: “They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other” (Rom. 12:10). In the oratory and at table, the young are kept in rank and under discipline. Outside or anywhere else, they should be supervised and controlled until they are old enough to be responsible.” [Link]
and
“The third step of humility is that a man submits to his superior in all obedience for the love of God… ” [Link]
and
“The sixth step of humility is that a monk is content with the lowest and most menial treatment, and regards themselves as a poor and worthless worker in whatever task they are given, saying to themselves with the Prophet: “I am insignificant and ignorant, no better than a beast before you, yet I am with you always” [Link]
A December 12, 2002 article, “Scandal at the Abbey” claimed that Klassen knew that former Abbot John Eidenschink’s behavior with adult monks was “sexual abuse”.
With regard to the power dynamic, it was described this way:
One of the things Klassen has gleaned from listening to offender monks is that some were unaware of how much power they possessed as a function of being a priest, of wearing a habit. They knew even less in some cases about “the power attached to sex itself,” he said. – National Catholic Register
The monastic community, including the abbot and other monks, plays a significant role in discerning the suitability of individuals for monastic life and their subsequent progression through vows.
In fact, the solemnly professed monks vote on whether a junior monks receives solemn vows. In other words, the victim likely believed that Michael-Leonard Hahn had a hand in determining his future.
Michael-Leonard Hahn’s Plans – Fall, 2019
On April 1, 2019, Rev. Eric Hollas wrote in his blog that Michael-Leonard Hahn was scheduled to resume teaching at Saint John’s University in the fall of 2019:
“This last week we received word that our confrere Father Michael-Leonard Hahn successfully defended his Pd.D. [sic] dissertation. This fall he will return from his studies at Boston College to teach at Saint John’s University.” – A Monk’s Chronicle; Rev. Eric Hollas’ Blog (April 1, 2019) [ View ]
According to an archived copy of the Saint John’s University web site, Michael-Leonard Hahn was scheduled to return to Saint John’s Abbey and settle into his published (see below) role as “Assistant Professor of Theology” during the Fall 2019 term.
Michael Hahn’s Misconduct Revealed
On or around April 22, 2019, in a meeting regarding another monk’s inappropriate actions at the abbey, Abbot John Klassen was reportedly made aware of Michael-Leonard Hahn’s victimization of the novice monk in the abbey’s sauna.
At the time of this revelation to Klassen, Hahn was still in Massachusetts, pursuing his degree at Boston College. He was also serving as a “Priest in Residence” [ View ] at Sacred Heart and Our Lady’s in Newton, MA.
Klassen’s response to the victim’s situation wasn’t pastoral care and therapy. Therapy (see below) would not be offered for another year. Instead, the victim was instructed to meet with the abbey’s legal team, another lawyer, and an investigator.
One of those meetings was arranged by one of Saint John’s most prolific sexual offenders, Rev. Francisco Schulte.
Schulte sent the following email to the victim:
On July 2, 2019, the victim wrote an email to Abbot Klassen and Rev. John Moeska about depression and medication.
Rev. John Moeska replied to the victim on the same day, “I truly regret what happened to you and the effect it is having on you.”
On July 4, 2019, the victim spoke with CSB/SJU Professor Eileen Campbell-Reed about Hahn’s conduct.
On July 9, 2019 the victim wrote an email to Professor Campbell-Reed:
“… some members of the Community are pushing the superiors to help me and protect me and so, avoid to have more victims, so it seems the things are moving, so now I got a kind of peace.“
On July 10, 2019, CSB/SJU Professor Campbell-Reed sent an email to the victim regarding her conversation with Judy Bednar (SJU’s Title IX Coordinator) about the victim’s situation. Bednar wrote, “I shared there may be more than one individual impacted by the respondent.”
On the morning of July 11, 2019, the victim’s advocate received a message from a member of the community who had read what “appeared on the Abbot’s private bulletin board before Jubilee Mass” that morning:
Father Michael Leonard Hahn OSB is being immediately summoned home to the cloister from Boston College! They overheard [Rev. Don] Tauscher’s reaction: “Oh SHIT, not another ONE!”
Around the same time, and according to the Sacred Heart and Our Lady’s bulletin, Hahn had “decided to move up his departure date”:
However, Hahn never returned to Saint John’s Abbey as expected. This prompted a post [“Where is Fr. Michael Leonard Hahn?“] on the BehindthePineCurtain.com web site.
Michael Hahn’s Background
After graduating from Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Robbinsdale, Minnesota native Michael Hahn entered Saint John’s University in the fall of 2000. During his time at SJU, Hahn was on the debate team (with Joshua Guimond, an SJU student who disappeared in November of 2002). Hahn also drove the Link bus, a transportation service for students. The Link took students to the nearby College of Saint Benedict, St. Cloud and to at least one Minnesota Wild hockey game.
During his time as a SJU student, Hahn developed strong relationships with some of the monks from Saint John’s Abbey, including Rev. Robert Koopmann.
According to the Winter 2009 issue of The Abbey Banner [ View ], Michael Hahn graduated from Saint John’s University in 2005 with a degree in theology. After graduation he served for three years as a Benedictine Volunteer in Newark, New Jersey.
Hahn also spent a year (2009-2010) teaching theology classes at Cathedral High School in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. According to a former Cathedral High School student, Hahn invited him to the monastery which, in retrospect, he believed was a type of grooming. That visit was uncomfortable enough that, despite Hahn’s reported request to get together again, a second meeting never occurred.
Michael Hahn became a junior, or “novice” monk on September 11, 2009, and took the monastic name, Michael-Leonard Hahn. Hahn became a solemnly vowed monk at Saint John’s Abbey on September 14, 2010. He was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Donald Kettler of the Diocese of Saint Cloud on December 7, 2013 and was ordained into the Saint Cloud Diocese as a Roman Catholic priest on May 31, 2014. [“Twin Cities Natives Ordained” – The Catholic Spirit]
Abbot John Klassen’s 2002 Apology and Pledge
Twelve years earlier, on June 7, 2002, Abbot Klassen issued a very public apology regarding past misconduct by members of the Saint John’s community (“An Open Letter of Apology“) and set forth pledges regarding abuse and celibacy:
“According to state law, any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adults must be reported to law enforcement authorities. We comply with the law. Saint John’s Abbey has always cooperated with law enforcement authorities and will continue to provide whatever information authorities request.“
and:
“The Abbey applies the same expectations about celibacy to all monks regardless of their sexual orientation. If during therapy and rehabilitation a monk concludes that he will be unable to live a celibate life, either he elects to leave the monastery or he is asked to leave.“
To the extent that Michael Hahn victimized an individual (according to Abbot John Klassen) and/or that Hahn was not celibate:
There is no indication that Michael-Leonard Hahn was asked to leave the monastery.
There is no indication that Michael-Leonard Hahn’s behavior was reported to law enforcement.
There is no indication that Michael-Leonard Hahn’s behavior was reported to any of the organizations or churches [View List] where he worked previously.
There is no indication that Michael-Leonard Hahn’s misconduct was shared with St. Mary’s University of Minnesota (“SMUM”).
[Advocate’s note: Abbot John Klassen’s letter of September 14, 2020 was written after Michael Hahn had settled into his new position at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.]
There is also no indication that the Title IX complaint from July of 2019 was properly processed or investigated by Saint John’s University.
Monastic Meeting Regarding Michael-Leonard Hahn’s Future
On March 4, 2020, Abbot John Klassen read a letter about (and reportedly from) Hahn to the monks at Saint John’s Abbey. According to the victim, Rev. Lewis Grobe told the group of junior monks that Hahn claimed that the abbey was not a good and healthy place for him.
In an email sent after that meeting, Grobe wrote, “If you want to meet to talk about the letter that Abbot John read about Michael Leonard, I will be available after compline in the novitiate lounge.”
Michael Hahn’s New Position
On or around March 30, 2020, Michael Hahn began work as the Character and Virtue Education program director at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.
The school announced Hahn’s hiring to the public on June 2, 2020 [“Meet Dr. Hahn“].
The announcement by St. Mary’s University of Minnesota made no mention of Michael Hahn’s eleven years as a monk or his six years as a Catholic priest.
[Note: While several current and former employees might disagree, it is possible that Michael Hahn is a perfect fit for his current role at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.]Michael Hahn’s Victim Struggles
As mentioned above, and according to an email, therapy for the victim was not approved until April 21, 2020 – a year after Klassen learned of Hahn’s misconduct, after Hahn started his new job, and almost ten months after the victim wrote to the abbey about his depression.
The victim started therapy the very next week (on April 29, 2020).
On September 18, 2020, the victim’s therapist wrote to the Abbey, regarding “a difficult situation in his religious community.”
In an October 1, 2020 letter to the monastic community, Abbot John Klassen wrote:
“After extended conversation with [Redacted], and in consultation with those involved in his formation, we have concluded that Saint John’s Abbey isn’t the community best-suited for his religious vocation.“
Other members of the community noticed. On October 19, 2020, another sexual offender at the abbey, Rev. Dunstan Moorse, sent a compassionate email to the victim:
“I must apologize to you for not reaching out very effectively over the past year. But I watched and observed how I thought you were doing (after the trauma you suffered) and felt it best to be supportive from a distance with prayer, occasional greetings, etc. and not overstep my boundaries. It is all too easy to re-victimize and that must not happen.“
Contacting the Advocate
Around this same time, the victim contacted a long-time advocate. The victim shared all of his emails, and many photos, documents and screenshots of texts (including the sauna texts, shown above), many of which are shared throughout this document.
The victim also shared two videos. The first video, 31 seconds in length, shows Rev. Michael-Leonard Hahn masturbating (to completion) into a bathtub before turning the camera to his smiling face and backward cap.
The second video, 95 seconds in length, shows Hahn modeling what appears to be black, leather underwear.
Confronting St. John’s Abbey
In March or April of 2021, the victim connected with two attorneys in order to pursue a claim against Saint John’s Abbey, Saint John’s University, Abbot John Klassen and Michael Hahn.
A complaint was reportedly drafted in April of 2022 and an agreement was reached during a mediation session in October of 2022. Late in 2022, a settlement agreement was signed by Klassen, Hahn, the victim and others. That settlement reportedly included a payment to the victim who Abbot John Klassen described as “innocent in all respects.”
Despite previous pledges of transparency, Abbot John Klassen did not make the situation or settlement public. There is also no indication that Klassen reached out to other potential victims, including those reportedly discovered during Michelle Soldo’s 2019 investigation of the matter.
The abbey appears to have scrubbed its web site of most mentions of Hahn. Several mentions of Hahn [ View and View and View ] on the Saint John’s University web site were still available in October of 2025.
Podcast Reaches Hahn’s Co-Workers
In 2002, during Michael Hahn’s sophomore year at Saint John’s University, a member of Hahn’s mock trial team, Joshua Guimond, disappeared without a trace.
In 2022, the Simply Vanished podcast regarding Guimond was launched.
In May of 2024, the podcast caught the attention of a former Saint Mary’s employee who discovered that Hahn was formerly a monk and priest at Saint John’s Abbey.
According to former Saint Mary’s University employee #1:
“I happened to have a disgusting meeting with Michael where his arrogance was on full display at the same time the podcast was being released. I knew little of Michael’s background other than he went to St John’s & I suddenly was curious when he had been there (I was thinking who does this narcissistic asshole think he is!?) It was then I started googling and although the internet appeared to have been mostly scrubbed of his name, I began to connect the dots to Josh and the abuse at the abbey. Episode 6 confirmed things for me and I sent off an anonymous tip to both Simply Vanished and the Stearns County Sherriff’s [sic] office to look into [Redacted]”
They also contacted another former employee.
According to former Saint Mary’s University employee #2:
“As I remember it, [redacted – employee #1] said the podcast gave her the creeps, Hahn gave her the creeps, and the idea of him being there when all of this was going on gave her the creeps (not a direct quote by any means). I got caught up in the podcast and began chatting in more depth with [redacted] and we started googling, leading us to your website, an image and/or text on a website of Hahn on the mock trial team. I can say those two pieces with confidence. I can’t recall what else we uncovered. Hahn was just being a general jerk in [redacted] and was a frequent topic of conversation in [redacted]. There was a lot of cursing and anger and shaking of heads. Frustration, feelings of powerlessness…”
The tip sent by Saint Mary’s University employee #1 to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department was not the first (or last) time that the department had heard the name. At least five potential red flags and/or coincidences have been submitted including information that, according to the mock trial’s advisor and one of Joshua’s teammates, Michael Hahn was demoted from the monk trial’s “A” team six days before Joshua disappeared. According to the mock trial advisor, team captain Joshua Guimond was responsible for Hahn’s demotion which reportedly caused Hahn to seem “resentful.”
Joshua also had knowledge and was reportedly researching the relationships between monks and students at Saint John’s University. At the time of Joshua’s disappearance, it is well known that Michael Hahn had a unique relationship with Rev. Robert “Koop” Koopmann.
[Note: “Koop” was reportedly how Hahn referred to Koopmann in a conversation with the mock trial’s advisor in the days following Joshua’s disappearance. During that conversation, and according to the team’s advisor, Hahn reportedly made a comment which the advisor believed to be an attempt to place blame for Joshua’s disappearance on another team member.]
Concerns at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
“The mission of our university, for example, includes awakening, nurturing, and empowering learners to ethical lives of service and leadership (Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, 2023). It stands to reason that fulfilling this mission requires the moral example of university leadership.” – Michael Hahn and Andrew Dirksen, Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues – January, 2024 [Link]
In July of 2023, two former employees of the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota community contacted the advocate. Between July of 2023 and April of 2024, their concerns were shared with the advocate regarding Michael Hahn and others in leadership. The individuals each shared names for the advocate to contact regarding Michael Hahn and other distressing issues SMUM.
Claims were made regarding abrasive leadership styles (especially toward women), the hostile work environment being cultivated, financial and travel concerns, questionable relationships and uncomfortable interactions – including what one former employee described as inappropriate/grooming behavior.
As stated earlier, it is quite possible that Michael Hahn is a perfect fit for his current role at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota but was he the right choice at the time?
With regard to Michael Hahn’s hiring at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, however, individuals who were part of the hiring process shared that:
- During the interview process, a woman out of Chatfield reportedly emerged as the clear favorite and was reportedly recommended for the position by the hiring committee.
- Hahn was reportedly “not qualified” and “didn’t have any of the experience” that was required for the job. The committee’s recommendation regarding Hahn was a clear “no.”
- One member of the hiring team did not recall that there was any mention of Hahn’s past as a Benedictine monk or Roman Catholic priest on his resume.
Facebook Post Regarding Michael Hahn
On May 9, 2024 , a former SMUM employee posted to Facebook:
Whistle Blown
On May 10, 2024, the advocate emailed Ann Merchlewitz, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. They wrote:
I am concerned about the university and its leadership. I am willing to have a discussion with anyone who is committed to transparency and the mental health of your community.
On May 13, 2024, Merchlewitz responded by saying she would, “follow up once I am back in the office.”
On May 21, 2024 the advocate sent an email to Bishop Robert E Barron from the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Attached to the email was a forty-four page letter. The letter was also emailed to Ann Merchlewitz.
The letter included the following message from the advocate:
“With regard to Michael Hahn and any other employee on campus whose temperament and proclivities might cause concern, I ask that you do what is necessary to protect every employee, student and vulnerable individual who is entitled to a safe environment.”
and
“While it is my personal belief that the letter written by Abbot John Klassen in 2020 should exclude Michael Hahn from ever dealing one-on-one with and [sic] student or vulnerable adult, I will leave that decision to those who must face the consequences, should he reoffend.”
and
“As stated earlier, I believe that the Saint Mary’s University Board of Trustees should, at a minimum 1) review all leadership personnel hired by President Burns, and 2) review all complaints to HR and leadership personnel at the University, and 3) audit all financial records related to the Kern Family Foundation, and 4) as soon as possible, consider a confidential survey (related to hostile work environment, equality in the workplace, LGBTQ+ discrimination, etc.) to include all of the employees of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.”
After that letter was shared among SMUM staff, an employee confirmed that there was indeed concern regarding the Kern Family Foundation money.
Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s Response
On May 28, 2024, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s Vicar General, the Very Rev. William Thompson, confirmed receipt of the letter. Thompson wrote:
“Since Bishop Barron has a fiduciary responsibility as a member of the Board of Trustees, all documentation you provided has been forwarded to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.“
and
“Of course, in the event that you believe a crime has been committed, you should report it to law enforcement immediately.“
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Response
None
Summary
Abuse, secrecy and compromise have been synonymous with Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota for decades. Hundreds of victims have shared their stories.
Klassen and other leaders (at the abbey, university or the life safety department) have covered up abuse and/or other misconduct by members of the greater Collegeville, Minnesota community.
For all of his words about transparency and “listening with the ear of your heart,” Abbot John Klassen has allowed many (dozens?) perpetrators of misconduct from the monastery and university (Ward, Andert, Ruff, Tabor, Koppmann, etc.) to remain in good standing and/or leave quietly, as Micheal Hahn appears to have done.
According to Klassen’s own words, Michael Hahn is a perpetrator.
For some reason, it appears that Michael Hahn and/or Saint Mary’s University thought it best that Hahn’s religious past not be made public.
Abbot John Klassen, who stepped down as abbot in 2024, failed many times to protect Saint John’s and its large community. It remains to be seen what price Saint John’s will ultimately pay for Klassen’s lack of transparency.
When a courageous victim comes forward – and an investigation is conducted and fault is found – the answer should not be secrecy and a plan that protects the alleged perpetrator. The answer should also never include denying the victim of therapy, threats of deportation and/or dismissal from the monastery.
For decades, Collegeville has existed under a cloud of darkness because of its leaders’ combined unwillingness to make tough, honest and transparent decisions in order to strengthen its reputation and ensure the long-term success of its institutions.
Other institutions should make every effort to avoid a similar fate.
Next Step
If you have information about misconduct by a member of Saint John’s Abbey or Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, please contact an advocate, attorney or law enforcement, including the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department at (320) 259-3700.
