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  Clergy Sex Settement: No Money

By Allen Costantini
KARE
March 29, 2011

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/916581/391/Clergy-sex-settement-No-money

[with video]

Attorney Jeff Anderson said Monday that he has reached a settlement with Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville and the Order of Saint Benedict that "exposes" abuses by monks at the Collegeville Monastery that adjoins Saint John's University.

Anderson said the settlement rises from the cases of nine alleged victims or "survivors" and 11 alleged clergy abusers. Anderson insists the Abbey must publish a list of 15 "credible" monk abusers on the school's website .

at names the credibly accused clerics from Saint John's. It is signed, no only by the Abbott, but by two of the 'survivors' and goes to the terms of this settlement to every single student that attended Saint John's, whether they graduated or not," said Anderson.

The lawyer stood in front of photos of some of the alleged abusers, alongside Jeremiah McCarthy, one of the alleged victims. McCarthy told reporters he was abused at the age of 15 by a monk at Collegeville.

Anderson insisted that the non-monetary settlement was what he and McCarthy termed a "first step". Anderson said the settlement terms were a requirement by his clients. "That is what these survivors with whom we have worked and come together required and demanded first."

In addition, Anderson said the settlement removes any "gag" orders in previous settlements that prevented victims from speaking about the abuse they suffered.

Anderson said the "process" and the settlement will mean "kids are better protected in the future than they have been in the past and that required effectively two things: exposure and disclosure."

KARE 11 News attempted to contact Saint John's Abbey, but received no response or comment on Anderson's settlement announcement. There was no word on when the list of alleged abusers would be on the Saint John' s website.

 
 

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