Statement Regarding File Release for 24 Men Accused of Clergy Sexual Abuse

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
November 5, 2014

http://www.archspm.org/archspm_news/statement-regarding-file-release-24-men-accused-clergy-sexual-abuse/

Documents from the priest files of 24 men given to the court by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis earlier this year were released today by Jeff Anderson and Associates. This release is in the interest of public disclosure and transparency.

Most of these 24 men were assigned as priests in this archdiocese in the past; all are the subject of substantiated claims of the sexual abuse of a minor either here or in another diocese. A claim is substantiated when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the reported abuse occurred. All of these men have previously had their names disclosed for substantiated claims of abuse by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and all have been permanently removed from ministry in this archdiocese. All but two have not been in ministry here for at least a decade. Fifteen are deceased.

Documents from these men’s files were released today:

Edward BeutnerJohn BrownRobert ClarkThomas EricksenAmbrose FilbinKenneth GansmannRalph GonieaRudolph HenrichReginald KrakovskyHarry MajerusWilliam MarksJames NickelPaul PalmitessaJoseph PinkoshCharles PotockiRobert RuglovskyJames P. StarkMichael StevensRobert ThurnerRoger VaughnClarence VavraRaymond WalterAdalbert WolskiFrancis Zachman

For general information about these men, including assignment history, visit SafeCatholicSPM.org. If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, please call law enforcement.

Archbishop John Nienstedt, I and all other archdiocesan leaders are committed to doing everything we can to prevent abuse of the young and the vulnerable and to help abuse victims/survivors and their loved ones heal. I apologize for the grave harm caused by clergy sexual abuse to victims/survivors, their families and their communities.