Fr. Donald W. Rieder

Ordained: 1955
Status: Guilty plea

Died: 05/18/2013
Diocese: Diocese of Saint Cloud MN

Admitted in 2002 to molesting three girls in the 1980s and one in the 1990s. Pleaded guilty in early 2003 and sentenced in a plea bargain in 6/2003 to one year in jail in the 1990s case. His victim filed a lawsuit 12/2002 which settled in 2003 for $500K. A woman told the Vicar General in the early 1990s that Rieder had molested her daughter; he promised that Rieder would never minister publicly again. Rieder retired in 1996; privileges were not removed until 2002. Another civil suit settled in 10/2005 for $17.5K. There were at least 9 accusers in all. Named on the St. Cloud diocese’s list issued 1/3/2014. Died 5/18/2013. Two more suits were filed 8/25/2015 by women claiming sexual abuse as girls in the 1960s by Rieder. Assignments included parishes in Alexandria, Randall, Kimball, Morris, Roscoe, Paynesville, Little Falls, Sobieski and St. Cloud.


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