Former St. Peter’s priest admits abuse, Lowdown (July 6, 2014)

Former St. Peter’s priest admits abuse

Lowdown
July 6, 2014

http://www.presspubs.com/forest_lake/news/article_4d29852c-048e-11e4-8112-001a4bcf887a.html

Former St. Peter's priest Jerome Kern of Edina, 73, admitted in an April 15 court deposition to sexually abusing three children during more than 30 years as a priest in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He denied other claims of abuse lodged against him.

Kern was assigned to St. Peter’s Church in Forest Lake from 1996 to 2002, and 10 different people alleged sexual abuse from Kern between 1969 and 1993. Video clips, the deposition transcript, timeline and key documents are available at www.andersonadvocates.com and on YouTube under AndersonAdvocates.

Kern was deposed in April as part of a 2013 civil lawsuit file in Ramsey County. Last week attorneys for a sexual abuse survivor known as Doe 26 released Kern’s video deposition along with key documents demonstrating how top Archdiocesan officials failed to prevent Kern from abusing more children despite reports of inappropriate behavior with children dating back to 1969.

Kern testified no one from the Archdiocese questioned him about the abuse or reported him to police.

“Kern’s denials and minimizations are typical of the molester unable to control himself,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. “It’s shocking and sad that church officials made a conscious choice for over 25 years to continue Kern in ministry.”

–Compiled from a press release