Category Archives: Richard Eckroth

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.

Defending a monk – Letters – Letter to the Editor

This letter responds to your article “Scandal at the abbey” (NCR, Dec. 13). I am a brother to Benedictine Fr. Richard Eckroth, who received the most coverage of 11 monks accused of sexual abuse in your article. He is one … Continue reading

Letters to the Editor: Therapy raised no doubts

* The two articles that appeared in recent issues reporting on the response of St. John’s Abbey to allegations of sexual abuse were generally accurate and fair (NCR, Dec. 13 and 27). However, in an accompanying article headlined “Father is … Continue reading

Father is `lion at the gate’ pressing case against priest

Ed Vessel said he was “disinvited” to the Oct. 1 news conference at which St. John’s Abbey and Jeffrey Anderson, attorney for victims of sexual abuse by abbey monks, jointly announced a broad financial settlement of claims against the abbey.

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

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

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.

St. John’s community wonders about future

Over the years, Joe Wright made a habit of donating money to his alma mater, St. John’s Prep School. A 1981 alumnus who later graduated from Harvard and the University of Wisconsin Law School, he has a deep respect and … Continue reading

Sins of a Father: ‘Sauna Kids’ Abuse

Sins of a Father: ‘Sauna Kids’ Abuse; a Remote Retreat in Minnesota Allegedly Was Turned into a Sexual Playhouse by a Catholic Monk Who Has Been Accused of Repeatedly Molesting Young Boys and Girls.

St. John’s Abbey let priests keep post after allegation

St. John’s Abbey was told in the late 1980s that the Rev. Richard Eckroth had allegedly sexually abused a boy years earlier.

St. John’s scandal shows need for legal reform, abuse victims say

Legal experts say there is little that the victims can do in the wake of accusations of sex abuse at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville. Dozens of people have come forward over the years alleging sexual abuse by monks from … Continue reading

Still traveling: priests at St. John’s Abbey

The Rev. Richard Eckroth –Continues to use abbey cabin on Swenson Lake near Bemidji; traveled to St. John’s mission, St. Augustine Abbey in Nassau, Bahamas, summer 1997 for the ceremony when a St. John’s priest was named prior, the position … Continue reading

A Statement from Saint John’s Abbey

The monks of Saint John’s Abbey are vowed to mutual respect between persons and a celibate way of life. We regard sexual abuse or sexual exploitation by a member of our community to be morally reprehensible. We are profoundly sorry … Continue reading

Restricted Priests Still Travel

Restrictions on the movements of nine St. John’s Abbey priests accused of sexual abuse have not kept at least four of them from traveling to Rome, the abbey’s missions in the Bahamas and Japan, or elsewhere in Minnesota and other … Continue reading

St. John’s Abbey Responds

New information is passing between St. John’s Abbey and the Stearns County sheriff about monks accused of sexual abuse. Officials at the abbey say the information was never restricted. But recent interest in cases of sex abuse by clergy led … Continue reading