Priest Guilty of Molesting Boy

St. Paul Pioneer Press
March 31, 1995

Grand Marais, Minn. -- A priest apologized when he pleaded guilty to molesting a teen-age boy in the church rectory after serving him alcohol.

"I feel it is my duty as a priest to say, in addition that I am guilty, that I am sorry," the Rev. Mark Makowski said Wednesday in state district court.

Makowski, 38, was charged in January with one count of third-degree misconduct, which involves sexual penetration. At the time, he was pastor of St. John Catholic Parish in Grand Marais and Holy Rosary Parish in Grand Portage.

He had pleaded not guilty last month but changed his plea Wednesday after striking a deal with the county attorney's office under which he pleaded guilty to fourth-degree misconduct.