The Star Gatherer

Posted on December 1, 2006
Posted in Jerome Tupa, Paul Richards

The world premiere performance of the commissioned opera The Star Gatherer, commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Saint John’s Boys’ Choir, was presented at Saint John’s on October 20 and 21. With music by Stephen Paulus, libretto by Gene Scheer, the production’s design inspired by the painting of Jerome Tupa, OSB, and conducted by Paul Richards, OSB, the opera focuses on the youthful transition from boyhood to young adulthood through the boys’ awareness that they will be defined not by what they have but by what they give away. Three full-house performances superbly showcased the remarkable talents of the Boys’ Choir.

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Sisters Say Brother Who Killed Himself Was Abused at St. John’s

Posted on September 26, 2006
Posted in John Klassen, Patrick Ryan, Paul GoPaul, Rita Prince, William Skudlarek

Collegeville, Minn. – Two sisters said Monday their brother killed himself in 1971 because of the trauma of being sexually abused by a visiting professor at St. John’s University.

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Sisters Ask Abbey for Information on Priest Accused of Abuse

Posted on September 25, 2006
Posted in Bob Schwiderski, Paul GoPaul, Rita Prince, SNAP, William Skudlarek

The sisters of a former St. John’s University student asked St. John’s Abbey today to confirm that a visiting professor sexually abused their brother in 1970.

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Urgent Announcement to Employees and Students (SJU)

Posted on September 25, 2006
Posted in Paul GoPaul, Visiting Clergy/Professors

Email from the Office of the President regarding Father Paul A GoPaul

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Sisters go public with abuse allegations at St. John’s University

Posted on September 25, 2006
Posted in Paul GoPaul, Review Board, SNAP, William Skudlarek

Collegeville, Minn. — Rita Prince and Terry Ryan stood beneath the massive concrete bell tower at St. John’s University in Collegeville, clutching a picture of their brother. In the 1960s-era photo, Patrick Ryan is dressed smartly in a black suit, his reddish-brown hair swept to the side.
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Chaphalkar’s Letter to the Editor

Posted on September 18, 2006
Posted in Jerome Tupa, John Klassen, Pat Marker, Raj Chaphalkar

Dear Editor,

In your article on St. John’s Abbey’s sex abuse allegations (Sept. 7), it details the story of Pat Marker, prep school alumnus and 1983 abuse victim, who resigned from the Abbey’s external review board Aug. 18 over disputed disclosure procedures.

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Draft of Letter to Editor

Posted on September 11, 2006
Posted in John Klassen, Pat Marker, Raj Chaphalkar
[Webmaster’s Note: The following is a draft of a letter sent to the editor of The Record on September 11, 2006. The letter was reviewed by Saint John’s Abbey officials, who provided feedback to the student. The student’s letter was resubmitted and published [ View ] on September 18, 2006. Webmaster Pat Marker also commented [ View ] on the letter. ]

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Marker’s Letter to Chaphalkar

Posted on September 11, 2006
Posted in Michael Bik, Michael Hemmesch, Pat Marker, Raj Chaphalkar, William Skudlarek
[Webmaster’s Note: The following email was sent to SJU student Raj Chaphalkar by webmaster Pat Marker on September 11, 2006. It was a response to a letter that Mr. Chaphalkar submitted to the editor of The Record on September 10, 2006.  Mr. Chaphalkar also sent the letter to Rev. William Skudlarek, Abbot John Klassen and Michael Hemmesch, SJU Director of Media Relations.

Rev. William Skudlarek responded to Mr. Chaphalkar with the following:

“After speaking with Abbot John this morning, I called Raj to suggest that he consider eliminating the sentence in which he says that Pat Marker has posted confidential documents from the External Review Board on his site.”

Rev. William Skudlarek did not attempt to correct the other inaccuracies contained within Raj Chaphalkar’s letter. Pat Marker did (see below).

Mr. Chaphalkar resubmitted his letter and it was published [ View ] on September 18, 2006.

[End Webmaster’s Note]

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Anti-abuse advocates to distribute literature

Posted on September 10, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, Michael Bik, Pat Marker, Review Board, Robert Blumeyer, SNAP, William Skudlarek

SHOREVIEW – A national support group for people molested by clergy plans to pass out leaflets in protest today outside a Shoreview church where a Collegeville monk worked for two years.
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Archdiocese finds old abuse records

Posted on September 8, 2006
Posted in Michael Bik

After a new search of its files, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has found records indicating that a man did come forward eight years ago alleging he was abused as a teenager in the 1970s by the Rev. Michael Bik, before the priest was ordained.
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Abuse allegations shake St. John’s Abbey

Posted on September 7, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, BS, Dunstan Moorse, John Klassen, Michael Bik, Pat Marker, Robert Blumeyer, SG

From September, 2006:

Pat Marker: “Extensive research shows more monks will be named and more victims will come forward.”

Abbot Klassen: “That is totally an unfounded, false statement. I mean false”

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The Illustrated Word

Posted on September 7, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, John Klassen, Michael Bik, Review Board, Robert Blumeyer, St. John's Bible

In 2002, under pressure of publicity and threatened lawsuits, the Abbey finally acknowledged “creditable accusations” of abuse – enacted over decades – against 13 monks. Anxious to keep the cases out of court, it negotiated a settlement with the victims’ lawyer that avoided the criminal justice system. Patrons of the first handwritten and illuminated Bible since the invention of the printing press now function under the eye of a lay watchdog panel.
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Your Turn: Abbot deserves credit for being transparent

Posted on September 3, 2006
Posted in John Klassen, Kate Lally, Michael Bik, Opinion, Pat Marker, Robert Blumeyer

The Times Editorial Board has called on the St. John’s Abbey External Review Board to “share with the public what they know, their opinions on whether (Pat) Marker’s claims have veracity and if abbey leaders did do all they could to protect potential victims. (Times Our View “Abbey needs to address allegations with public,” Aug. 25.)
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Ex-St. Stephen teacher accused of abusing teens

Posted on September 1, 2006
Posted in Bob Schwiderski, Bruce Wollmering, Harry Flynn, Michael Bik, Robert Blumeyer, SNAP

Members of a church sex-abuse survivors group will distribute pamphlets at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Anoka on Sunday morning informing parishioners that a former teacher of the parish school was recently identified as an accused abuser.
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SNAP/Marker Press Release

Posted on August 26, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, David Clohessy, Harry Flynn, John Klassen, Leadership Camp, Michael Bik, Pat Marker, Review Board, SNAP

A former Minnesota man who was a 1983 victim of sexual abuse at St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville, MN is challenging local Catholic officials to explain why they shared a nine year silence about abuse allegations against a priest. He is also requesting that leaders with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and St. John’s Abbey take immediate steps to notify all potential victims of the cleric and former teacher.
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Abbey needs to address allegations with public (Editorial)

Posted on August 25, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, Editorial, Harry Flynn, John Klassen, Michael Bik, Review Board, Robert Blumeyer

The latest round of sexual misconduct allegations involving Catholic clergy with ties to Central Minnesota hinges on two very familiar themes – truth and trust.
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Victim creates Web site

Posted on August 24, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, David Clohessy, Harry Flynn, John Klassen, Michael Bik, Pat Marker, Project Pathfinders, SNAP, William Skudlarek

COLLEGEVILLE – A former St. John’s Preparatory School student launched a Web site Wednesday to help molestation victims and challenged Catholic officials in a letter to defend delays in notifying potential victims.
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About the Web Site, Allegations

Posted on August 24, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, Michael Bik, Pat Marker, Review Board, Robert Blumeyer

BehindthePineCurtain.com was launched by Pat Marker in 2002 as the “Abuse Disclosure Project.” It was taken down by the former St. John’s Preparatory School student and clergy molestation victim when he joined the St. John’s Abbey external review board. Marker resigned from the board Friday. The Web site was relaunched Wednesday under a new name, billed as a resource for people interested in the history of sexual abuse and misconduct in Collegeville.
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Marker’s Letter to Klassen and Flynn

Posted on August 23, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, Harry Flynn, John Klassen, Michael Bik, Pat Marker, Review Board, St. John's Prep

In 1997, the Archdiocese and Abbey learned of allegations of sexual abuse against Fr. Michael Bik. The public and potential victims should have been notified. They were not and Fr. Michael Bik continued his work at St. John’s Prep School.
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Former review board member launches Web site about clergy abuse

Posted on August 23, 2006
Posted in Bruce Wollmering, David Clohessy, Harry Flynn, John Klassen, Michael Bik, Pat Marker, SNAP

COLLEGEVILLE – A former St. John’s Preparatory School student launched a Web site today to help clergy molestation victims and challenged local Catholic officials to come clean.
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