Father Tupa knowingly lied to a congregation of Catholics attending mass in a diocesan building. Father Tupa knowingly defamed me. Father Tupa proved that he is willing go to any length, including slander, to cover-up decades of misconduct by members of the Saint John’s and (now) diocesan communities.
Letter to Bishop Kinney, Abbot Klassen and Archbishop Vigano
January 17, 2013
Note: Letter was sent via email on January 17. Also sent via US Mail… Track
View letter as a PDF…. Here
The Most Rev. John F. Kinney
Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud
214, 3rd Avenue South
Saint Cloud, Minnesota, 56301
CC: Abbot John Klassen, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano
Bishop Kinney,
Included, please find a copy of my January 7, 2013 letter to residents in and around St. Joseph (hereinafter “The St. Joseph Letter”).
The St. Joseph Letter was sent after multiple requests that the parishioners at the Church of Saint Joseph be notified regarding credible allegations of misconduct by two former priests (Father Dan Ward and Father Othmar Hohmann) who served at that parish. These requests were ignored.
By this letter, I renew my request to both you and Abbot Klassen that these perpetrators’ names be announced in every parish where they served (including the Church of Saint Joseph) so that those victims seeking validation receive it, and those in need of support and counseling have a number to call, should they desire.
The St. Joseph Letter also addressed concern regarding the abbey’s refusal to release the names and actions of the five perpetrators referred to (but not named) on the abbey’s web site.
It is important to note that based on the abbey’s own “rigorous investigations”, there have been twenty-three (23) sexual predators within the monastery! The public, and the victims, deserve full disclosure regarding these predators. For some reason, the abbot is withholding this information.
By this letter, I renew my request to both you and Abbot Klassen release the names of the five additional perpetrators that the abbey refers to on their web site (screen shot attached), but fails to identify.
During the 10am mass on Sunday, January 13, 2013, Father Tupa addressed The St. Joseph Letter.
A video of Father Tupa’s statement is here:
http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/tupavideo
Father Tupa claimed, in front of a church full of people that “the majority of the letter is filled with innuendo and simply libelous puff.”
Father Tupa knowingly lied to a congregation of Catholics attending mass in a diocesan building. Father Tupa knowingly defamed me. Father Tupa proved that he is willing go to any length, including slander, to cover-up decades of misconduct by members of the Saint John’s and (now) diocesan communities.
By this letter, I am requesting that you (and/or Abbot Klassen) review the attached letter with Father Tupa and, together, mark the majority of the letter to which Father Tupa will swear, under the pains and penalty of perjury, contains either innuendo or libel.
The letter contains 1289 words in 19 paragraphs and the names of 34 accused monks. A majority will reflect 645 words, 10 paragraphs and/or 17 accused named.
When Father Tupa fails at this task, please draft a letter of apology to me — and then draft and distribute a letter announcing that Father Jerome Tupa has resigned his position as pastor of the Church of Saint Joseph. By this letter, I am requesting that both letters be drafted and sent.
By this letter, I am requesting that an apology from Father Tupa and his superiors appear in this week’s bulletin.
Certainly, the intent of The St. Joseph Letter was clear: Full disclosure regarding recent allegations.
You and Abbot Klassen have received multiple, credible, detailed statements from victims of sexual misconduct by Father Dan Ward. Not a single victim came forward with a request of financial compensation. Further, Ward’s victims had nothing to gain by coming forward. They simply wanted the truth known in order to support other victims. You and Abbot Klassen have kept this truth from being shared, and kept potential victims (who might benefit from financial, counseling or pastoral assistance) from having their experiences validated so that they, too, might come forward.
You and Abbot Klassen have similarly received at least one credible, detailed, written, allegation of misconduct regarding Father Othmar Hohmann.
You and Abbot Klassen were also forwarded an email with a statement by [Redacted], another of Father Hohmann’s victims. Certainly, you and Father Klassen are familiar with the [Redacted] family and their place in the history of both the Church of Saint Joseph and Saint John’s. [Redacted]
Despite the abbot’s persistent claims that I lack credibility, I have already shared that third woman, revered by many in the Church of Saint Joseph community, contacted me regarding sexual abuse by Father Hohmann some time ago.
Please know that since Sunday, I have been contacted by one additional victim of Father Hohmann.
To review, I am requesting, by this letter:
1. Father Dan Ward’s and Father Othmar Hohmann’s names be announced in every parish where they served (including the Church of Saint Joseph) so that those victims seeking validation receive it, and those in need of support and counseling have a number to call, should they desire.
2. The diocese and abbey release the names of the five additional perpetrators that the abbey refers to on their web site (screen shot attached), but fails to identify.
3. The St. Joseph Letter be reviewed with Father Tupa and, together, request that Father Tupa mark the majority of the letter to which he will swear, under the pains and penalty of perjury, contains either innuendo or libel.
4. When #3 (above) fails, a letter of apology from Father Tupa be sent to me.
5. A letter announcing that Father Jerome Tupa has resigned his position as pastor of the Church of Saint Joseph be sent to the parishioners of the Church of Saint Joseph.
6. Apology language from Father Tupa and his superiors to me and to the parishioners at the Church of Saint Joseph appear in this week’s bulletin.
Time of the essence. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
I swear, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that the information I have provided on these pages is true, to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Sincerely,
Patrick J. Marker
