In addition, in 1981, while attending classes at St. John’s School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student and admitted the sexual misconduct to St. John’s Abbot Jerome Theisen and two other monks at St. John’s, as well as Abbot Hanus at the Abbey. Yet, in total disregard for the safety of children, these officials turned a blind eye to Parry’s sexual misconduct.
Conception, Missouri Abbey Faces Lawsuit
News Release
June 23, 2011
Contact: Jeff Anderson 651.227.9990
Conception, Missouri Abbey faces lawsuit
Missouri man says priest sexually abused him as child
Prominent clergy abuse attorney says the Abbey blatantly exposed child to known serial pedophile
(Nodaway County, MO) A prominent clergy abuse attorney filed a lawsuit today in the Circuit Court of Nodaway County claiming that, in 1987, the Conception Abbey in Conception, Missouri, exposed a minor child to a priest who they knew had previously had sexual contact with minors, which resulted in the sexual abuse of the child. The child, now an adult and the plaintiff in the lawsuit, is identified in the complaint as John Doe 181 and lives in Missouri.
Jeff Anderson, an attorney based in St. Paul, Minnesota, and widely known for his pioneering work in using civil litigation to seek justice and accountability for clergy abuse of children, said “the facts of the case are appalling, but sadly mirror case after case of Catholic officials covering up and protecting pedophile priests rather than protecting innocent children they profess to be serving.”
Anderson said between 1973 and 1979, the Priest, Father Bede Parry, while he was a monk at the Abbey, but before being ordained a priest, reported to Abbot Jerome Hanus that he had been involved in three inappropriate sexual relationships.
In addition, in 1981, while attending classes at St. John’s School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student and admitted the sexual misconduct to St. John’s Abbot Jerome Theisen and two other monks at St. John’s, as well as Abbot Hanus at the Abbey. Yet, in total disregard for the safety of children, these officials turned a blind eye to Parry’s sexual misconduct.
Parry, who was ordained in 1983, was then assigned to Conception Abbey where he was in charge of the choir program. In 1987, when the minor Plaintiff attended a residential choir camp at the Abbey, he was sexually abused by the priest. When the child’s parents brought the assault to the attention of Abbot Hanus, they were told that Father Parry had a “mental breakdown” and he would be treated for the breakdown.
Father Parry was then sent for sexual offender treatment at the Servants of the Paracletes facility in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, where Fr. Parry resided from August 1987 through October of 1987. After the treatment Parry remained in the Southwest and at some time in 1990, Abbot James Jones of the Conception Abbey told Parry that “it would not be wise” for him to return to the Abbey.
However, Parry remained active in the ministry in several churches in the Southwest, including
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Holy Family Catholic Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 2000, Fr. Parry underwent psychological testing relating to the possibility of entering another monastery. The results of this testing revealed that Fr. Parry was a sexual abuser who had the proclivity to reoffend with minors. The results of this testing were provided to the Abbey, the Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas and the Episcopal Bishop for the Diocese of Nevada.
Today, Father Parry, 68, continues to be employed by All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A copy of the lawsuit filed today can be found on the Documents page of www.AndersonAdvocates.com
Contact: Jeff Anderson Office/651.227.9990 Mobile/612.817.8665
