Fr. Timothy Backous

St. John’s Prep School headmaster 2006 -2013. The parents of a former St. John’s Boys’ Choir member in 5/2014 alleged sexual abuse of their son by Backous during the choir’s 1990 bus trip across Europe; the parents reported the allegations to the abbot in 1991. The abbot paid for the son’s counseling and apparently told the parents that Backous would no longer work with children. The sheriff told the parents he had no authority because the abuse occurred in Europe. The parents learned in 5/24/2014 that Backous said mass at Memorial Day weekend at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis; they informed the Archbishop. In 6/10/2014 the St. John’s abbot wrote that the allegations had never been proven and that Backous was not working under any restrictions and was a priest in good standing. He also worked at Essentia Health in Duluth. Named in two lawsuits in 4/2016: a man claimed abuse at St. John’s Prep 1982-1983 at age 16; the other was the same alleged victim of abuse at age 12-13 by Backous on the choir trip to Europe in 1990. The Abbey called allegations “without merit and false.”