Diocese of New Ulm MN - BishopAccountability.org

21 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Cletus Altermatt

Ordained: 1934
Status: Accused

Died: 03/13/1978
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Included on the New Ulm diocese's list released 3/29/16 of priests credibly accused of child sexual abuse. Ordained for the Great Falls diocese. Transferred to MN in 1962 and was incardinated into the Diocese of New Ulm in 1968. Died in 1978. On the Diocese of Steubenville's list 10/31/18. Noted to have been suspended from ministry in 1952. On Billings-Great Falls list 8/21/18.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. Edward Ardolf

Ordained: 1964
Status: Sued

Died: 08/1/2016
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Accused in civil suit filed 4/15/16 of sexual abuse of a boy, ages 7-10, during 1978-80 at St. Raphael's in Springfield MN. Retired in 2012. No prosecution because the alleged victim was deceased and his therapist would not testify. Ardolf worked in Winsted, New Ulm, North Mankato, Springfield, Canby, St. Leo, Sleepy Eye, and Nicollet. Died 8/1/16.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. Joseph J. Balent

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1944
Status: Sued

Died: 05/24/1986
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of New Ulm on its list in 6/21. At least one lawsuit. Balent was ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and incardinated into the Diocese of New Ulm when it was created in 1957. He died 5/24/86.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Diocese of New Ulm List 06.19.21

Fr. Dennis E. Becker

Ordained: 1962
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Name released for first time 3/15 by diocese; accused of child sexual abuse "decades ago." Retired from active ministry in 2000.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. Gordon Buckley

Ordained: 1953
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Named publicly in 2/16 by the New Ulm diocese as having credible accusations of sexual abuse against him. Abuse said to have occurred at St. Andrew's in Granite Falls, where Buckley was assigned 1963-69. Ordained for Pueblo CO diocese, incardinated New Ulm 1959. Also served in Glencoe, Seaforth, Bird Island, Taunton, Dawson, Cottonwood, Clarkfield and Milroy. Retired 1978. Died in 1985.

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Fr. Robert Clark

Ordained: 1984
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Name among four released for first time by Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis 10/23/14, on list of 17 accused of sexual abuse. Ordained for New Ulm; worked there until 1997. Religion teacher, St. Agnes High in St. Paul 1998-2002. Substantiated claims of abuse occurred outside of St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese. Removed from active ministry 3/26/02. Living in Arizona in 10/14. Name among 16 on New Ulm diocese list of credibly accused priests released 3/29/16.

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Fr. John G. Cooney

Ordained: 1947
Status: Sued

Died: 09/14/1988
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of New Ulm on its list in 6/21. Accused in at least one lawsuit. Ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, incardinated into the New Ulm diocese when it was created in 1957. Died in 1988.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Diocese of New Ulm List 06.19.21

Fr. James Devorak

Ordained: 1972
Status: Reinstated

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Retired in 7/15. In 8/17 Bishop Levoir announced in a letter to parishioners that the diocese had been notified of an allegation of one incident of sex abuse against Devorak, alleged to have occurred in the 1990s while Devorak was assigned to St. Pius X in Glencoe. Worked during retirement as a parochial vicar in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Removed from public ministry pending investigation. On 10/20/17 the archdiocese announced that the Glencoe Police Dept. determined the allegation to be unfounded and that Devorak had been reinstated to ministry.

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BA.org Assignment Record

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Fr. John L. Gleason

Ordained: 1946
Status: Accused

Died: 01/14/1998
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Ordained for Archdiocese of St. Paul. Incardinated into Diocese of New Ulm 1957. Name included on New Ulm list released by Attorney Jeff Anderson 08/04/14. Names were from deposition of Rev. Francis Garvey, a former top New Ulm Diocese official, taken in 1/14. Garvey reported he confronted Gleason in approximately 1990 and Gleason resigned and moved to CA. Died 01/14/1998; buried in St. Paul. Accused in civil suit filed 5/23/16 of sexual abuse of 9- to 10-year-old girl, 1970-72, at St. Michael's in Morgan.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. Richard Gross

Ordained: 1962
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Accused in a civil lawsuit filed 4/15/16 of the sexual abuse of a boy, ages 12-13, during 1965-66 at St. Mary's in New Ulm. Removed from active ministry. Gross worked in New Ulm, Taunton, Rosen, Hutchinson and Watkins. Retired in 2003. Per news in 1/19, Gross was returned to limited ministry on recommendation of the diocesan review board. The Brown County Attorney's office reviewed Gross's case and did not file criminal charges due to "lack of probable cause" and the statute of limitations.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. Michael Guetter

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1941
Status: Accused

Died: 07/22/1988
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Guetter was accused of "improper conduct..., including sexual misconduct" against minors under his care. Family services investigated; no evidence to support criminal charge but did find evidence of general allegations of improper conduct. Guetter filed suits to determine who made the charges. Appeal of lower court's denial was carried to MN Supreme Court as of 11/6/1987. Have no info on actual charges, if any, filed against Guetter. Died 7/22/1988.

Fr. Germain Kunz

Ordained: 1957
Status: Accused

Died: 06/30/2016
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

"Jerry." Worked in the diocese 1957-68. Laicized in 1971 and married. In 6/03 a woman reported to the diocese that Kunz sexually abused her when she was a young girl. She did not press charges; wanted assurance Kunz was no longer an active priest. Kunz was a retired attorney in MN in 6/03. He died in 2016.

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New Ulm Diocese Assignment Record

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Fr. Francis Xavier Markey

Ordained: 1952
Status: Charged

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

From Ireland. Arrested 11/09 at age 81 in South Bend IN on warrant from Ireland. Charges relate to abuse of a 15-year-old boy in Ireland in 1968. Suspended at least three times and in treatment four times, including Paracletes in NM in 1981. Worked with the Paracletes for some time before being sent to work in New Ulm. Extradited to Ireland in 2010. Died in 9/12 while awaiting trial. Named in civil suits against the New Ulm Diocese and Paracletes in 1/11, 12/13 and 2/14 (includes siocese's counter-suit against Irish diocese in 3/14.) Name included on New Ulm list released by Attorney Jeff Anderson 08/04/14. Names came from deposition of Rev. Francis Garvey, a former top New Ulm Diocese official, taken in 1/14.

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Fr. William Joseph Marks

Ordained: 1936
Status: Sued

Died: 11/17/1979
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Ordained for St. Paul archdiocese, incardinated 1957 in New Ulm diocese. Suits filed by four men in 4/94 alleged abuse as boys by Marks in late 1950s and early 1960s while assigned to St. John's in Hector. Two of the boys were cousins. One of them told his parents and they went to church trustees. In 1962 Marks was sent to another parish. He died in 1979 at age 71. Named in a civil suit filed 11/12/13 against St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese and New Ulm diocese. Another man came forward in 3/14. Additional suit filed 6/17/14 by man who alleged Marks would pay him for sexual acts in 1950s when he delivered newspapers to the rectory as a boy. Name included on New ULM list released by Attorney Jeff Anderson 08/04/14. Names came from deposition of Rev. Francis Garvey, a former top New Ulm Diocese official, taken in 1/14. Included in 10/14 on the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis list of credibly accused.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. John M. Murphy

Ordained: 1951
Status: Accused

Died: 04/30/2001
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Ordained for St. Paul-Minneapolis, incardinated to New Ulm diocese when it formed in 1957. Died in 2001. Name included on New Ulm list released by Attorney Jeff Anderson 08/04/14. Names came from deposition of Rev. Francis Garvey, a former top New Ulm Diocese official, taken in 1/14. Garvey testified that Murphy's housekeeper told him in the 1980s that Murphy was having boys up to his room. Garvey reported to the Bishop at the time who told him to mind his own business. Name added 11/3/17 to St. Paul-Minneapolis list of "list of priests and religious brothers who have served or spent time in the archdiocese and have substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor against them."

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Fr. David A. Roney

Ordained: 1945
Status: Settled

Died: 01/27/2003
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Ordained for St. Paul, incardinated into the New Ulm diocese when it formed in 1957. Lawsuits in 8/03 by two women claiming abuse as children by Roney 1967-80. Two more filed suit in 9/03. Diocese said two previous lawsuits settled. Diocese learned of Roney' s conduct in 1987; sent for evaluation and therapy. Allowed to minister at San Lucas Toliman Mission in Guatemala beginning in 1994. Removed from active retirement in 2002. Died in 1/03 in Guatemala, age 82. Two women settled in 2005. Case of four more women dismissed by MN Court of Appeals 8/31/10. More suits pending in 9/13. More than 30 accusers, at least one as young as age 7. Name included on New Ulm list released by Attorney Jeff Anderson 8/04/14. Names were from deposition of Rev. Francis Garvey, a former top New Ulm Diocese official, taken in 1/14. Name added 11/3/17 to St. Paul-Minneapolis list of "priests and religious brothers who have served or spent time in the archdiocese and have substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor against them."

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. Douglas L. Schleisman

Ordained: 1975
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Abuse alleged by Schleisman in a 1993 civil suit; went on Leave of Absence. Name was included on New Ulm diocese's list released by Attorney Jeff Anderson 8/04/14. Names came from a deposition of Rev. Francis Garvey, a former top New Ulm Diocese official, taken in 1/14. Laicized in 1994.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. Michael G. Skoblik

Ordained: 1939
Status: Sued

Died: 11/22/1989
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Ordained for the St. Paul archdiocese; incardinated in 1957 into the New Ulm diocese when it was formed. A civil suit in 1993 claimed sexual abuse by Skoblik of a grade school student 1976-80. Pastor of St. Joseph's in Silver Lake 1965-88. Died in 1989. Name included on New Ulm list released by Attorney Jeff Anderson 8/04/14. Names from deposition of Rev. Francis Garvey, a former top New Ulm Diocese official, taken in 1/14. Two men filed a new suit 9/10/14 claiming abuse 1967-71; tried to force the New Ulm diocese to disclose names of accused priests. At least 14 alleged victims. Diocese released 16 names 3/29/16 of credibly accused priests, including Skoblik. Two new suits filed in 5/16 vs New Ulm diocese; one alleged abuse by Skoblik at St George in Glencoe 1953-66, the other at St. Joseph in Silver Lake. In 3/16-5/16. Three suits were filed accusing Skoblik of abuse at Holy Family and St. Pius X. Name added 11/3/17 to the St. Paul-Minneapolis list.

Fr. Charles Stark

Ordained: 1944
Status: Sued

Died: 03/2/1991
Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Ordained for the St. Paul archdiocese, incardinated in 1957 into the New Ulm diocese when it was formed. Named publicly by the diocese in 2/16 as credibly accused of sex abuse at St. John's in Darwin 1965-69. Worked in St. Paul, Faribault, Winsted, Vesta, Tyler, Gaylord, Darwin, Granite Falls, Clements, and Sanborn. Retired in 1986. Died in 1991. Suit filed in 3/16 claimed sex abuse 1969 of an 11-year-old boy who was a CCD student at St. John's in Darwin. Another suit was to be filed claiming abuse by Stark at St. John's 1967-68. A third suit pending in 3/16 claimed abuse by Stark at another parish. Named added 11/3/17 to St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese's list of credibly accused .

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Fr. Bernard Steiner

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1961
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Accused in civil lawsuit filed 4/15/16 sexual abuse of a boy, ages 9-10, in about 1971-72 at St. Paul in Comfrey. Steiner worked in parishes throughout Southern and West-Central MN. Retired in 2005. Returned to limited ministry in early 2018.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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Fr. Sam Wagner

Ordained: 2014
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of New Ulm MN

Placed on leave and investigation launched after allegations in 1/17 of "inappropriate conduct" were reported to New Ulm police. Per news in 8/17 Wagner was accused of an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old girl. No charges per police in 8/17 due to lack of evidence and the inability to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Was still on leave pending Review Board investigation outcome. The girl's mother took out a restraining order in 8/17 against Wagner.

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Diocese of New Ulm Assignment Record

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