Author Archives: admin

Archdiocese finds old abuse records

After a new search of its files, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has found records indicating that a man did come forward eight years ago alleging he was abused as a teenager in the 1970s by the Rev. … Continue reading

Abuse allegations shake St. John’s Abbey

From September, 2006: Pat Marker: “Extensive research shows more monks will be named and more victims will come forward.” Abbot Klassen: “That is totally an unfounded, false statement. I mean false”

The Illustrated Word

In 2002, under pressure of publicity and threatened lawsuits, the Abbey finally acknowledged “creditable accusations” of abuse – enacted over decades – against 13 monks. Anxious to keep the cases out of court, it negotiated a settlement with the victims’ … Continue reading

Your Turn: Abbot deserves credit for being transparent

The Times Editorial Board has called on the St. John’s Abbey External Review Board to “share with the public what they know, their opinions on whether (Pat) Marker’s claims have veracity and if abbey leaders did do all they could … Continue reading

Ex-St. Stephen teacher accused of abusing teens

Members of a church sex-abuse survivors group will distribute pamphlets at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Anoka on Sunday morning informing parishioners that a former teacher of the parish school was recently identified as an accused abuser.

SNAP/Marker Press Release

A former Minnesota man who was a 1983 victim of sexual abuse at St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville, MN is challenging local Catholic officials to explain why they shared a nine year silence about abuse allegations against a priest. … Continue reading

Abbey needs to address allegations with public (Editorial)

The latest round of sexual misconduct allegations involving Catholic clergy with ties to Central Minnesota hinges on two very familiar themes – truth and trust.

Victim creates Web site

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.

About the Web Site, Allegations

BehindthePineCurtain.com was launched by Pat Marker in 2002 as the “Abuse Disclosure Project.” It was taken down by the former St. John’s Preparatory School student and clergy molestation victim when he joined the St. John’s Abbey external review board. Marker … Continue reading

Marker’s Letter to Klassen and Flynn

In 1997, the Archdiocese and Abbey learned of allegations of sexual abuse against Fr. Michael Bik. The public and potential victims should have been notified. They were not and Fr. Michael Bik continued his work at St. John’s Prep School.

Former review board member launches Web site about clergy abuse

COLLEGEVILLE – A former St. John’s Preparatory School student launched a Web site today to help clergy molestation victims and challenged local Catholic officials to come clean.

Abuse victim quits abbey review board

ST. CLOUD, MINN. — A sexual abuse victim resigned in protest Friday from an external review board formed by St. John’s Abbey in response to the clergy sexual abuse scandal.

Mr. Marker is an honorable man (Opinion)

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 … Continue reading

St. John’s review board member resigns

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.

Letter re Michael Bik

On 7/29 the St. Cloud Times reported the names of 3 priests accused of sexual abuse. Among them was a man named Fr. Michael Bik, who I knew during my four years attending St. John’s Preparatory between 1998 and 2002. … Continue reading

St. John’s sexual misconduct review board member resigns

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.

Member of abbey review board resigns in protest

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.

Review board is necessary for keeping church honest (Opinion)

I read with interest the Times news report about the sexual abuse allegations against monks from St. John’s community. Of particular interest was the abbot’s remark that “if it came to us today we would have handled it differently.”

Abbey defends its handling of clergy offenses

ST. LOUIS PARK – St. John’s Abbey officials say the claims made Wednesday by a national advocacy group for clergy molestation victims are inaccurate.

SNAP Letter to Abbot Klassen

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 … Continue reading