MINNESOTA
Fox 9
by Shelby Capacio – email
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) –
On Sunday, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis announced that two metro priests are being placed on leave pending a review of alleged inappropriate conduct involving minors.
Church officials say both Father Joseph Gallatin, pastor at the Church of St. Peter in Mendota, and Father Mark Wehmann, of St. Boniface in Minneapolis, agreed to take a leave of absence from active ministry; however, both will remain pastors until a final review is completed.
The move came as part of a review of clergy files that is still being performed by an outside professional firm, Kinsale Management Consulting, which is combing through the records of all clergy members in active ministry.
According to a pair of releases from the archdiocese, both cases involve so-called “boundary violations,” but no further information was given.
FATHER JOSEPH GALLATIN
According to a release, a single incident of inappropriate conduct with a minor dating back many years ago was uncovered by the current review.
The archdiocese said the review team did not conclude that the incident was criminal, but law enforcement has since been notified “to ensure all appropriate steps have been taken.”
Gallatin has served as a pastor in Mendota since July 2008.
FATHER MARK WEHMANN
In the case of Wehmann, the review team identified several instances of inappropriate conduct involving minors. Although law enforcement had been informed of most of the incidents in the past and decided not to press charges, the archdiocese has now informed police of the remaining incidents that were not previously disclosed.
Wehmann only recently came to be pastor at St. Boniface in Minneapolis in July 2013. Until recently, he had also served as a part-time chaplain at Fairview University Hospital in Minneapolis.
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