Files of 14 Abusive Priests in Winona Diocese Made Public

KARE
October 7, 2014

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In a videotaped deposition defrocked priest Thomas Adamson describes sexually abusive at least 10 teens, and describes how no one in church leadership confronted hiim.

The files of 14 priests from the Archdiocese of Winona accused of child sex abuse were made public during a news conference Tuesday in Rochester.

Joining Twin Cities attorney Jeff Anderson at the news conference was Paul Hotchkiss. Hotchkiss said he was abused by former priest Thomas Adamson, a native of Byron who was ordained as a priest in 1958 and got his first assignment in Winona with pastoral duties at St. Casimir's Parish.

Adamson is at the center of lawsuits against church officials in both St. Paul/Minneapolis and Winona. In a deposition he admitted to molesting at least 10 teenage boys between the 1960's and the mid-1980's.

Anderson said the documents have been looked over extensively in order to protect the identities of the survivors.

In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Winona Bishop John Quinn said the diocese voluntarily released summaries of each of the files in June that were publicly disclosed Tuesday morning. The diocese said nearly all of the child sexual abuse committed by clergy occurred in the 1960's and 1970's.

Of the 14 priests who have sexually abused minors, nine are deceased, three priests have been laicized, one has laicization proceedings pending and one priest has been deported to Nellore, India with proceedings pending in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The diocese insists no priests in the active ministry within in the Diocese of Winona have had credible accusations of child sexual abuse.

"The details of the sexual abuse contained in the files are painful reminders of the significant impact that sexual abuse has on the survivors of child sexual abuse," the statement from the archdiocese read. "Since the adoption of the Charter for the Protection of Youth and Young Persons in 2002, the Diocese of Winona has worked diligently in ensuring compliance with the Charter."

Quinn said the Diocese of Winona has developed programming and training for staff and volunteers associated with parishes and schools. He says the diocese immediately discloses all reports of child sexual abuse to law enforcement.