WINONA (MN)
Winona Daily News [Winona, MN]
June 27, 2025
By Rachel Mergen
Two personal injury cases in Winona County and one in Olmsted County have been filed against the Diocese of Winona and other entities.
All of the cases are centered around “unpermitted sexual contact” of minors that took place over 50 years ago, according to case documents.
While these cases were all filed earlier this year, the complaints are listed as having been originally served in 2016.
The Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s vicar general the Very. Rev. William Thompson made a statement last week that the Diocese was aware of the cases before they were filed.
Olmsted case faces jury in 2026
The first of the cases entered this year includes the plaintiff, identified as Doe 276, claiming that Cotter High School teacher Tom Bork “engaged in unpermitted sexual contact” with Doe 276 when she was about 15 to 16 years old in about 1972 to 1973.
At that time, the plaintiff attended Cotter, according to the complaint. She was also a participant in youth and/or church activities.
It was filed against both the Diocese and Cotter High School in March. This case was filed in Olmsted County.
Since the case was filed, Cotter has been dismissed from it.
A 2026 jury trial is scheduled in this case for June 1, with the pre-trial scheduled for May 22.
Winona cases allege abuse by priests
Two other cases filed in Winona County both involve priests. They were both filed in April.
On one of the cases, the plaintiff, identified as Doe 257, claims that he experienced “unpermitted sexual contact” from Father Sylvester Brown when Brown was the priest at Saints Peter and Paul in Blue Earth.
The abuse allegedly took place in about 1974 when Doe 257 was about 13 years old. He both attended Saints Peter and Paul and participated in youth and/or church activities.
The defendants in the case are the Diocese and Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
A jury trial has been requested for the case, but has not yet been scheduled.
Father Harold Mountain mug
Father Harold Mountain
The third case claims that Father Harold Mountain “engaged in unpermitted sexual contact” with someone identified as Doe 221 while Mountain was a priest at St. Casimir’s Catholic Church in Wells, according to the complaint.
Doe 221 was only about 7 to 8 years old when the alleged abuse happened in around 1968 to 1969. He attended St. Casimir’s Parish and School, while also participating in youth and church activities.
A jury trial was yet again requested, but has not been scheduled.
Both priests have been previously accused of abuse.
Negligence to respond alleged
Across all three cases, defendants with the Diocese and associated entities are accused of negligence, negligent supervision, and negligent retention.
Each complaint accused the culture within the Catholic Church creating pressure that led to the alleged victims of the sexual contact not reporting the abuse.
“Plaintiff demands judgment against Defendants, individually, jointly and severally in an amount in excess of $50,000.00, plus costs, disbursements, reasonable attorneys’ fees, interest, and such other and further relief as the court deems just and equitable,” each complaint stated.
According to Thompson, the new claims come from insurance issues that were first worked on in the diocese’s bankruptcy.
A plan for the diocese’s reorganization included a trust designed to compensate people who suffered from sexual abuse in the diocese.
In total, the trust is supported by more than $22 million of the diocese’s assets and another $6.5 million from insurance settlements.
“While the Diocese cannot comment on the facts related to this matter, we pray for a just resolution for all of those involved,” stated Thompson. “The Diocese remains steadfast in its commitment to healing and justice for all survivors.”