MINNESOTA
KARE
Harry Walsh wasn’t on the list of 30 priests but church documents obtained by MPR show he’d been accused of molesting a 15-year-old girl and 12-year-old altar boy decades earlier.
ST. PAUL, Minn. – When the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released of a list of priests accused of sexually abusing minors, it prompted complaints from victims’ groups that it was incomplete.
Harry Walsh wasn’t on the list of 30 priests. But church documents obtained by Minnesota Public Radio show he’d been accused of molesting a 15-year-old girl and 12-year-old altar boy decades earlier. The archdiocese contributed to a financial settlement for the girl. Nonetheless, two archbishops allowed him to continue working in parishes until the fall of 2011.
Walsh tells MPR he never abused children.
Archbishop John Nienstedt asked Pope Benedict last year to defrock Walsh when he learned of the abuse allegations, and Walsh agreed to leave.
Archdiocese spokesman Jim Accurso wouldn’t say why Walsh wasn’t on the public list.
KARE 11 editorial partner Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) reports that Walsh now teaches sex education to troubled teenagers and vulnerable adults in Wright County. He signed a new two-year, $1,508 a month contract earlier this year, according to public records, to provide “medically accurate sexuality education, pregnancy prevention and STI prevention to high risk youth or adults.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.