MINNESOTA
Minnesota Public Radio

Madeleine Baran Oct 13, 2015

A priest in Elk River is on leave of absence from ministry after a lawsuit was filed Tuesday accusing him of sexually abusing a teenage boy nearly four decades ago.

The Rev. Antonio Marfori of Elk River’s Church of St. Andrew said he learned of the lawsuit Monday. He said there is “no truth” to the allegation in the lawsuit. “I almost fainted yesterday when they gave me the summons,” Marfori, 63, said.

In a statement, the St. Cloud diocese said Marfori has been removed from priestly duties while the allegation is investigated, adding that “there has been no report of sexual misconduct prior to receiving the present complaint.”

In the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Stearns County, a man identified as Doe 75 said Marfori “engaged in unpermitted sexual contact” with him in about 1978 when he was…