St. John’s Abbey Release Their List of 18 Monks and Priests Accused of Sexually Abusing Minors

St. John’s Abbey released a list today of 18  Monks and Priests accused of sexually abusing minors.  The disclosure follows the disclosure by the The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis of a list with the names of 34 priests.   Both lists included the name of 3 Priests.

The List

Michael Bik.

Andre Bennett (deceased).

Robert Blumeyer (deceased).

Cosmas Dahlheimer (deceased).

Date of ordination: 1936

Cleric’s prior assignments in archdiocese:

• St. John’s Abbey, 1936-1969;
• Associate priest, St. Augustine, St. Cloud, 1969-1973;
• Associate priest, St. Bernard, St. Paul, 1973-1978;
• Returned to St. John’s Abbey, 1978

Diocese or religious order: Order of St. Benedict, St. John’s Abbey

Date permanently removed from ministry: Unknown (died 2004)

Richard Eckroth.

Thomas Gillespie.

Francis Hoefgen (no longer a monk at the abbey).

Othmar Hohmann (deceased).

Dominic Keller (deceased).

John Kelly (no longer a monk at the abbey).

Brennan Maiers.

Finian McDonald.

Dunstan Moorse.

James Phillips.

Francisco Schulte.

Allen Tarlton.

Pirmin Wendt (deceased).

Bruce Wollmering (deceased).

The Minneapolis Tribune reported  that:

Brother Aelred Senna is a spokesman for the abbey. He says the list represents the abbey’s best efforts to identify those who likely offended against minors

The St Paul Pioneer Press pointed out:

The abbey released a similar list of 18 names in April 2011. That list was described as including monks with “credible allegations of sexual abuse, exploitation or misconduct brought against them while they were working in one of the apostolates of Saint John’s Abbey, or before they were a member of the abbey.”

St. John’s kept the list on its website temporarily. It included four names that are missing from the current list: former Abbot John Eidenschink, Steven Lilly, James Kelly and Isaac Connolly.

Patrick Marker, a victims’ advocate who runs the website BehindthePineCurtain.com, said the suspected conduct of Eidenschink, Lilly and Kelly involved adults.

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Update:   Patrick Marker, on BehindthePineCurtain.com  recently noted:

That nine of the above  monks currently live at the Benedictine monastery in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Allen Tarlton, Brennan Maiers, Dunstan Moorse, Finian McDonald, Francisco Schulte, Jim Phillips, Michael Bik, Richard Eckroth, Thomas Gillespie

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The names are now disclosed,  there are more lists that exist in Minnesota,  and there are many more names to find.

Abuse of children and the continued silence by the offenders needs to be prevented. If you suffered, saw, or suspected such events, it is important to know that there is help out there.