MINNESOTA
KARE
[with video]
Jana Shortal
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. — In New Prague this week, news traveled fast after an MPR News team filed a report saying a retired priest living in that city admitted to sexually abusing young boys while he was serving in the Minneapolis St. Paul Archdiocese in or around 1975.
On Monday, Nienstedt released a letter acknowledging mistakes made in the case of former catholic priest Clarence Vavra.
Vavra, who now lives in New Prague, is a neighbor to Margaret Lexa. She describes him as a good man, but she admits she has a few reservations after hearing what he’s accused of.
“Oh, I’m totally shocked, totally shocked. You know, you get second thoughts but I’m still in shock,” Lexa said.
Lexa says she and her husband have lived next door to Vavra for 40 years. She says while her husband has been in ill health, Vavra made a point to tell Lexa he was praying for their family.
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