BehindThePineCurtain.com | Abuse, Secrecy and Deception at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, MN

President Appoints Hispanic Catholic Theologian Miguel Diaz as Ambassador to the Vatican

Posted on May 28, 2009

Posted in Barack Obama, John Klassen, Miguel Diaz

COLLEGEVILLE, Minnesota (Catholic Online) – After weeks of speculation which generated scores of opinion pieces, President Barack Obama has surprised many observers by choosing Miguel Diaz, PhD, as the United States Ambassador to the Holy See. Professor Diaz is on the graduate faculty of the School of Theology/Seminary of St. John’s University and the undergraduate faculty of the Department of Theology at the College of Saint Benedict and St. John’s University.

For coaches at Saint John’s, no pastures greener

Posted on March 12, 2009

Posted in Jim Smith, John Gagliardi, Tim Backous

“Somewhere on this campus there is always a light on and a door unlocked,” says the Rev. Timothy Backous, who served as athletics director from 2003 to 2006 and now is the headmaster of Saint John’s prep school. “I think that resonates with men like John Gagliardi.”

Benedictine Sanctuary of the Sacro Speco

Posted on March 11, 2009

Posted in Francisco Schulte, Sacro Speco

How can I order copies of this Catholic English/Chinese New Testament — or even the full Bible in English/Chinese — for use in our Benedictine Sanctuary of the Sacro Speco here in Italy, outside of Rome?
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Abbot Relaxes Stand… Four Restricted Monks Featured

Posted on February 18, 2009

Posted in Bruce Wollmering, Dunstan Moorse, Finian McDonald, Francisco Schulte, John Klassen, Publications

Four restricted monks were featured (with photos) in the Winter 2008 issue of the Abbey Banner. View Banner Home

Their inclusion, especially in a feature story, contradicts Abbot Klassen’s previous statements regarding restricted monks and victim sensitivity. Link Soon.

Abbot John Klassen Relaxes Travel Restrictions

Posted on February 18, 2009

Posted in Finian McDonald, John Klassen, Mel Taylor, Monk Travel

*** May 12, 2002:

“Klassen said the Rev. Finian McDonald will not be allowed to travel this year to the Bahamas, where he has regularly spent several months each year at the abbey’s mission. McDonald ‘probably won’t’ go there ever again, the abbot added.”
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Recent SJP Web Tip

Posted on February 17, 2009

Posted in St. John's Prep, Tim Backous

Please provide a little more detail so that we can make some calls to confirm the story.

Remembering Bruce Wollmering

Posted on February 15, 2009

Posted in Bruce Wollmering

I came to learn through the course of the years that Fr. Bruce was himself a very complex human being who was pursued by his own personal demons.

Rev. Jonathan Licari now in Albany, MN

Posted on February 15, 2009

Posted in John Klassen, Jonathan Licari, Review Board

Rev. Jonathan Licari is now the pastor at Church of the Seven Dolors in Albany MN. Licari is listed as the pastor for Holy Family School as well.
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Database Being Updated

Posted on February 14, 2009

Posted in Web Site Updates

There are over 100 articles/documents still to be added. Please check back soon. If you are looking for information about a specific individual or subject, please send a note and we will make those documents available on the web site – or send to you via email.

Victim’s Memories of Fr. Tom Andert

Posted on February 13, 2009

Posted in Ian Dommer, Jim Phillips, Mark Thamert, St. John's Prep, Timothy Kelly, Tom Andert

During his junior year (1993-1994) at St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville, MN, [Victim] was dealing with issues at home, issues typical of a boarding school student, and the pressures of being a third generation Johnnie. In addition to these pressures, [Victim] was struggling with his sexuality and how to tell his parents that he was gay.
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Francisco Schulte Knew of Br. John Kelly’s Abuse in 1982

Posted on February 12, 2009

Posted in Francisco Schulte, John Kelly

Fr. Francisco Schulte knew that Br. John Kelly was abusing a St. John’s Prep student in 1982. During the summer of 1982, Schulte asked the student if he was OK to go to the Abbot. The student did not come forward until the early 90’s. Schulte stayed at the Prep school until 1988.

Monk Has Passion For Painting

Posted on February 11, 2009

Posted in Jerome Tupa

Ask Jerome Tupa to describe his paintings and he will use the word “sensual.”

1985 Dunstan Moorse Abuse Incident

Posted on February 10, 2009

Posted in Dunstan Moorse, Jerome Thiesen, Linus Aschman

[Victim] is now 22 years old and his date of birth is [Date]. He went to St. Johns Prep School and graduated from there in June of 1986. In the beginning of his senior year he was having some concerns and difficulties about his father’s girlfriend and he wanted to talk to somebody about it and he went to see Father Dunstan.

Father Bruce Wollmering Dies, Room Searched

Posted on February 10, 2009

Posted in Bruce Wollmering, David Baraga, John Klassen, Kate Lally, Review Board, William Skudlarek

Wollmering’s room searched by County officials.

Wollmering’s Victim Count Now 6

Father Wollmering’s obituary references his “retirement” from his position as teacher and counselor at St. John’s University.
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Fr. Bruce Wollmering OSB

Posted on February 8, 2009

Posted in Bruce Wollmering

Wollmering, Fr. Bruce, OSB age 68, from Hastings, Minn., died on Wednesday, February 4, 2009, at Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville. The reception of the body in Saint John’s Abbey Church will be Monday, February 9, during an evening vigil service that begins at 7 p.m. Visitation closes with a brief prayer at 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 3 p.m., in the abbey church, with interment in Saint John’s Abbey Cemetery following the service.

Obituary – Father Bruce Wollmering OSB, 1940-2009

Posted on February 5, 2009

Posted in Bruce Wollmering, John Klassen, Obituary, St. John's Prep

Saint John’s Abbey
Father Bruce Wollmering OSB
1940-2009

Subject: Death of Father Bruce Wollmering

Posted on February 5, 2009

Posted in Bruce Wollmering, John Klassen

From: Epsky, Patti On Behalf Of Office of the President (SJU)
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 8:23 AM
Subject: Death of Father Bruce Wollmering

The “Pedophile’s Paradise”

Posted on February 3, 2009

Posted in Patrick Wall, ToDo

Wall’s first call as a sex-abuse fixer knocked on his door one morning in 1991, while he was brushing his teeth. [Pat] Wall was not yet a priest, just a monk studying at St. John’s University in Minnesota. The abbot came to his room before class with an urgent matter regarding another monk and said Wall would be moving into the boy’s prep-school dormitory—immediately. The other monk “had an incident with a 14-year-old in the shower.” Wall was to take his place.

Love Letters from Father Tom Andert

Posted on February 3, 2009

Posted in John Klassen, St. John's Prep, Tom Andert

In 1994, Father Tom Andert sent a series of letters to a high school student. During the time these letter were written, Andert was able to get the student out of class to go on walks. Andert also took the student into the Twin Cities where Andert showed the student gay bars. Andert’s hand made it to the student’s thigh on more than one occasion in the car and in Andert’s prep School office, where Andert held the position of headmaster (or principal).

Tagged Abot John Klassen, St. John's Prep, Tom Andert |

Pahrump Resident Heads Group for Victims of Clergy Sex Abuse

Posted on December 20, 2008

Posted in Paul GoPaul, Rita Prince, SNAP, St. John's, William Skudlarek

In 2002, Pahrump resident Rita Prince heard some shocking news from her sister. Their 18-year-old brother Patrick Ryan, who hung himself in a jail cell in 1969, had been undergoing psychiatric counseling after being drugged and raped by a Catholic priest at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., a year before.