St. John's Abbey Releases List of Likely Sexual Abusers

KARE
December 9, 2013

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/1048210/391/St-Johns-Abbey-releases--list-of-probable-sexual-abusers


Days after the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis released a list of nearly three dozen priests who likely committed sexual offenses against children, St. John's Abbey is sharing its own list of likely predators.

On Monday Saint John's Abbey voluntarily released a list of 18 names: Nine are monks who are living at Saint John's Abbey under supervised safety plans, seven monks who are deceased and two men who have been released from their religious vows and no longer are connected to the Abbey.

"This list reflects our best efforts to identify those who likely have offended against minors," said Brother Aelred Senna, OSB, spokesperson for the Abbey. "That 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."

The claims against each of the 18 were reviewed either by the Abbey's External Review Board or by the Abbot himself. In each case, it was determined that there was sufficient evidence to include the person on the list.

In some cases, however, all the facts could not be completely substantiated. Claims against some of those named on the list, for example, were not brought to the Abbey's attention for decades after the accused monk's death. It is in several of these cases where the Abbot decided to include the name of the monk on the list despite the lack of corroborating evidence.

"The release of this list is a big step forward. It's the right thing to do and it's never too late to do the right thing," said attorney Jeff Anderson in a written statement. Anderson has represented a number of victims of clergy sexual abuse. "We are glad St. John's released the list so that communities are safer. This disclosure helps us, and the survivors, come together because we all want the same thing: for kids to be protected and the truth to be known."

The complete list of 18 likely sexual offenders is available on the St. John's Abbey website.

KARE 11 is independently confirming the names of those who are still alive. Those names will be published once they are confirmed.

Suspected monks who are deceased

Bennett, Andre

Blumeyer, Robert

Dahlheimer, Cosmas

Hohmann, Othmar

Keller, Dominic

Wendt, Pirmin

Wollmering, Bruce

Suspected monks from Abbey list who were also confirmed from the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis list.

Majers, Brennan

Hoefgen, Francis

The External Review Board was created in 2003. The seven-member panel includes those who have expertise in the treatment of sexual abuse of minors, judges, attorneys and current and former members of law enforcement. In addition, the Board consistently has included a survivor of sexual abuse.

The Board is charged with evaluating allegations of sexual abuse against members of the Abbey and making recommendations for action to the Abbot, as well as conducting annual reviews of individual monks' safety plans.