Category Archives: Cosmas Dahlheimer

St. John’s Abbey Suffers Relapse

There simply was no “intensive internal investigation.” Interrogation of a frightened teenager is not investigation. I received the following from a principle who was on the scene in 1994: “How can you have an investigation without anyone talking to us? … Continue reading

Letter from Richard Sipe

This letter was written September 30, 2007 to Lee Hanley, a public relations person at St. John’s and an old friend. I had received numerous complaints about my alma mater from around the country. I wanted it to get to … Continue reading

Monk kept his job after claims

COLLEGEVILLE – A member of the St. John’s monastic community continued to work at St. John’s Preparatory School for five years after he was accused of sexual misconduct.

Too Many Rumors, Too Few Answers

Accused clergy remain at St. John’s Abbey, schools Abbot releases information to end ‘culture of secrecy’ that aids abuse

Dahlheimer Obituary

Webmaster’s Note: No mention of abuse in this obituary. There was an interesting statistic however: Over 250 novices and 35% of the current membership of the abbey learned from his words and example.

Court to Consider Expelling Clergy

A Minneapolis man who accuses St. John’s Abbey of “harboring pedophiles” has filed a court action demanding the removal of 11 monks and priests from St. John’s property.

Scandal at the Abbey – Part 1

Its reputation for learning and liturgy, publishing and holiness, ecumenism and even bread-making are legendary and have grown over its 146-year existence, making St. John’s Abbey here — with its impressive abbey church and signature bell tower — a jewel … Continue reading

To clergy victims, acknowledgment proves invaluable

Collegeville – An apology, validation and a promise to ensure sexual abuse won’t happen to another child or adult. These, for many survivors of clergy sexual abuse, are far more important than financial settlement.

A Family’s Faith Was Shaken After Their Sons Were Abused

From baptism to first communion to weddings, Ray and Arlene Vogel marked their family’s milestones through their faith. It defined the life they created in the house across the street from St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud.

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.

Former Abbot Abused 2 Monks

The Rev. John Eidenschink, former St. John’s abbot, has admitted that he sexually abused two abbey monks, one before he was elected abbot in 1971 and another during his eight-year tenure, current Abbot John Klassen said Friday.