MINNESOTA
Jeff Anderson & Associates
Sexual Abuse Survivor Ron Vasek Breaks Silence About Abuse by Former Diocese of Crookston
Vicar General Msgr. Roger Grundhaus
Crookston Bishop Michael Hoeppner Sued for Coercion
(St. Paul, MN) – A Minnesota man sued the Diocese of Crookston and Bishop Michael Hoeppner on Tuesday, claiming that Hoeppner coerced him into keeping silent about his alleged abuse by a Diocese of Crookston priest 46 years ago and signing a document stating the abuse never occurred.
Ron Vasek and his attorney, Jeff Anderson, announced the filing of the lawsuit in St. Paul. Vasek alleges that he was abused as a minor by Msgr. Roger Grundhaus, a Diocese of Crookston priest, and that Hoeppner coerced Vasek into signing a document stating the abuse did not occur. This is the first time in the United States that a bishop has been sued individually for coercion, Anderson said.
Grundhaus allegedly sexually abused Vasek in 1971 while on a trip to Ohio. Vasek was approximately 16. Grundhaus was working as a priest at Holy Trinity Church in Tabor, Minn., where Vasek and his family were parishioners.
Vasek kept the secret to himself for many years to protect his parents and their relationship with the Church. But he remained devoted to the Catholic Church and trained to be a deacon in the Diocese of Crookston. In 2009 or 2010, while considering becoming a member of the dioceses’ diaconate program, Vasek disclosed the Grundhaus abuse to a priest in another diocese. That priest reported the abuse to the vicar general of his diocese, who reported it to Hoeppner.
Hoeppner scheduled a meeting with Vasek at the Diocese of Crookston Chancery, where Vasek told Hoeppner about the abuse. Hoeppner told Vasek not to tell anyone about the abuse as it would harm Grundhaus and his reputation. Hoeppner told Vasek his diaconate program would not be affected by his disclosure as long as he didn’t tell anyone else about the abuse. Vasek felt intimidated and threatened by Hoeppner, and told no one else.
In 2010, Vasek’s son was ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Crookston. Vasek entered the diocese’s diaconate program in 2011. In August 2015, a Mahnomen County (Minn.) District Court ordered the Diocese of Crookston to produce information on clergy accused of child sexual abuse in a clergy sex abuse lawsuit. In response, the diocese did not produce Grundhaus’ name or information in its court-ordered disclosures. In October 2015, Hoeppner had Vasek come to his private residence, where he told Vasek to sign a letter retracting Vasek’s statements regarding the sexual abuse by Grundhaus and indicating that the abuse in Ohio never happened. Vasek initially refused to sign the letter.
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