Category Archives: Brennan Maiers

Decades Of Abuse And Secrecy At St. John’s Abbey

As allegations of sex abuse and coverup in the Catholic Church shook the nation this year, St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minn., confronted its own dark past. Former students came forward, some for the first time, to talk about what … Continue reading

11 monks on restriction; 2 on leave of absence

Under St. John’s policy, monks on restriction are to have no pastoral or teaching duties or unsupervised social contact with young people. They are not allowed to work in the prep school or university, use most campus facilities, or serve … Continue reading

As priest abusers become public, a parish looks at its past

Catholics around the country learned new things about their communities when clergy sex abuse cases received fresh attention this spring. One small parish in central Minnesota discovered that in one 30-year span, three of its clergy turned out to have … Continue reading

Abuser monks out of the ministry, still in jobs

Minnesota’s Catholic bishops returned from Dallas with an explicit mandate to deal with sex abusers in the clergy. The “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” binds bishops around the country to the same “one-strike” policy.

Lawsuit Widens Claims of Abuse

Declaring themselves victims of sexual abuse and claiming that St. John’s Abbey has covered up such abuse for decades, two former prep school students on Thursday sued the abbey and two priests already living under restrictions because of sexual misconduct.

St. John’s Abbey Restricts 14th Monk

St. John’s Abbey officials have confirmed that a 14th member has been put on restrictions after being accused of sexual misconduct.

Abbot to Give Sheriff List

COLLEGEVILLE – Stearns County Sheriff Jim Kostreba has asked St. John’s Abbot John Klassen to list the whereabouts from 1970 to 1990 of 13 Benedictine monks and priests accused of sexual misdeeds.

Accused clergy remain at St. John’s Abbey

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. — Thirteen to 15 monks or priests live and work under restrictions at St. John’s Abbey after being accused of or admitting to sexual abuse, the abbot for the monastery said.

Abuse in the Abbey Shocks Community

The revelation that a former St. John’s abbot committed sexual abuse in the 1970s rocked the local community this week and left the monastery in a state of shock.

The Sins of the Fathers

Fittingly, the theme of sin and contrition runs through both accounts of the molestation. First, listen to the victim. Later will come the response of the priest she appealed to for help.

1992 Accusation against Father Brennan Maiers

A 36-year-old cabinet maker from St. Joseph, Minn., filed suit against the Rev. Brennan Maiers in February 1992, charging Maiers had abused him when he was a 9-year-old altar boy. The suit was settled out of court last November. Jeffrey … Continue reading

‘John Doe’ is Joe Johnson in local sex abuse case

‘John Doe’ of St. Joseph, who was allegedly abused sexually 26 years ago by a priest [Brennan Maiers] in St. Joseph Catholic Church… has publicly revealed his name to lend credence to his claim.

Another priest from St. John’s Abbey is named in suit alleging sexual abuse

Another priest at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minn., has been accused of sexually abusing a young man who was a student in the prep school in the 1980s.