MINNESOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Tuesday, June 9

Statement by Verne Wagner of Duluth, Northeast MN SNAP director ( 218-340-1277, lwagsmn@yahoo.com )

On Friday, the St. Paul archdiocese was charged with six offenses. They stem from accusations that top church officials ignored or hid suspicions and actual reports of sexual misdeeds by a now-convicted predator priest.

Duluth’s current bishop was involved in this alarming case. At this point, no Catholic staff person faces individual charges. But we hope that changes. But Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said there was “a disturbing institutional and systemic pattern of behavior committed by the highest levels of leadership of the archdiocese… over the course of decades.”

And Choi said his investigation is “on-going.” So it’s crucial that more victims, witnesses and whistleblowers keep stepping forward with information or suspicions about clergy sex crimes and cover up anywhere…