Category Archives: John Eidenschink

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.

Movers & Shapers: Abbot John Klassen

COLLEGEVILLE — He’s the man they call on to get the job done whether on the farm, with soon-to-be monks, in the chemistry department or now as head of the St. John’s monastery.

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.

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

Orders have let abusers remain

Abbot John Klassen has been praised for disclosing some monks’ misdeeds and criticized for allowing some to travel.

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.

Women accuse St. John’s Abbey priest of abuse

They were supposed to be joyous getaways with a priest well known by their families, a man who loved the outdoors and enjoyed taking groups of six or seven children on weekend outings in the 1970s.

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.

Sex Abuse Details Emerge At St. John’s

Less than two weeks after word surfaced that a former abbot of St. John’s Abbey admitted to past sexual abuse of monks, current abbot John Klassen acknowledged that 15 priests or monks have been accused, or have admitted to, past … Continue reading

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.

Two men share similar stories of abuse

Two men who wanted to be priests say their dreams were washed away by sexual predators who also wore collars. The men tell similar stories of how top church leaders sexually abused them under the guise of spiritual guidance at … Continue reading

Sex Scandal Hits Home At St. John’s

As every U.S. Roman Catholic Cardinal except one in poor health is at the Vatican preparing to meet with the Pope about the spreading sexual abuse scandal, word from one Minnesota religious institution brought the scandal close to home.

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.

Abbot John Klassen – Letter to Friends and Constituents

Dear Friends of Saint John’s, The last months have been filled with painful stories about sexual abuse committed by priests and religious. The fact that the stories are most often about events which occurred years, even decades ago, does not … Continue reading