COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (AP) \u2014 St. John\u2019s Abbey published the names Monday of 18 current and former monks it says likely have sexually abused minors, but victims\u2019 advocates say the list is incomplete and years overdue.<\/p>\n
The list was posted on the abbey\u2019s website less than a month after a lawsuit was filed requesting disclosure of the names of monks accused of sexual misconduct. It also comes a week after a Ramsey County judge ordered the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona to release similar lists.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis list reflects our best efforts to identify those who likely have offended against minors,\u201d Brother Aelred Senna, the abbey spokesman, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
As part of an earlier settlement, the abbey posted a list of accused abusers on its website in 2011. But that list was taken down last year, said Patrick Marker, who runs a website devoted to victims of sexual abuse in the St. John\u2019s religious community.<\/p>\n
The list revealed Monday is slightly different, and includes three names that are new to an abbey list but have been published on Marker\u2019s website, Behind the Pine Curtain.<\/p>\n
Marker said the three new names should have been on the abbey\u2019s list earlier. In one case, for example, an abbey official wrote to a victim in 2011, promising that the name of the alleged abuser, who had other allegations against him, would be added, according to a copy of the letter provided to The Associated Press.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey haven\u2019t done victims any favors here; they\u2019ve just done what they should\u2019ve done two years ago,\u201d Marker said, adding that he believes about five more names should be included. \u201cThe list is hardly proactive as they want to make it seem.\u201d<\/p>\n
The abbey\u2019s list includes nine monks who live at the abbey under supervision, seven who are dead, and two men who have been dispensed from their religious vows, the abbey said.<\/p>\n
All cases were reviewed by either the abbey\u2019s external board or the abbot, and even though complaints against some could not be completely substantiated, Senna said, the abbey included these men to acknowledge victims\u2019 pain.<\/p>\n
Jeff Anderson, a victims\u2019 attorney, said the disclosure is a big step toward keeping communities safer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the right thing to do and it\u2019s never too late to do the right thing,\u201d Anderson said in a statement, adding that survivors \u201call want the same thing: for kids to be protected and the truth to be known.\u201d<\/p>\n
The abbey is run by the Order of St. Benedict.<\/p>\n
The Roman Catholic dioceses in Minnesota have similar lists of priests who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing minors. Those diocesan lists were compiled in 2004 as part of a national study examining the scope of clergy sexual misconduct.<\/p>\n
Last week, a Ramsey County judge ordered the Twin Cities archdiocese and the Winona diocese to disclose their lists of accused priests. The archdiocese revealed the names of 34 priests accused of sexually abusing minors, and said updates are expected.<\/p>\n
The Winona diocese plans to release its list by next week\u2019s court-ordered deadline.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Anderson\u2019s firm filed a new lawsuit against the Diocese of Duluth, asking that it release its list of 17 accused priests.<\/p>\n
The Rev. James Bissonette, vicar general, said the Duluth diocese has been reluctant to disclose names of clergy \u201cbecause the list is an imperfect means for identifying those credibly accused.\u201d He said the diocese is seeking a way to name the credibly accused without harming those who may have been wrongly accused.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the list:<\/p>\n
Bik, Michael
\nEckroth, Richard
\nGillespie, Thomas
\nMaiers, Brennan
\nMcDonald, Finian
\nMoorse, Dunstan
\nPhillips, James
\nSchulte, Francisco
\nTarlton, Allen Bennett, Andre\u2020
\nBlumeyer, Robert\u2020
\nDahlheimer, Cosmas\u2020
\nHoefgen, Francis*
\nHohmann, Othmar\u2020
\nKeller, Dominic\u2020
\nKelly, John*
\nWendt, Pirmin\u2020
\nWollmering, Bruce\u2020<\/p>\n
\u2020 = deceased
\n* = no longer a monk of Saint John\u2019s<\/p>\n
\u201cThis list reflects our best efforts to identify those who likely have offended against minors,\u201d said Brother Aelred Senna, OSB, spokesperson for the Abbey. \u201cThat task often is complicated by the passage of time, the deaths of some of those involved and sometimes incomplete accounts of the past. Even so, we are including all 18 names to provide as complete of a list as we can to acknowledge the pain suffered by victims. This list underscores our commitment to being transparent in our policies and procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Associated Press
\nDecember 9, 2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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