BehindThePineCurtain.com | Abuse, Secrecy and Deception at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, MN

Comments Regarding St. Joseph

Posted on January 10, 2013

Posted in St. Joseph Parish

Below are some of the comments received regarding the St. Joseph Update.

Letter: Sexual Misconduct and the Church of Saint Joseph, MN

Posted on January 9, 2013

Posted in Aloysius Michels, Dunstan Moorse, Jerome Tupa, John Kinney, John Klassen, Matthew Feeney, Michael Weber, Othmar Hohmann, St. Joseph Parish, Thomas Gillespie

[Webmaster’s Note: The following letter was mailed via US Mail on January 7 and January 8 to over 1100 families in St. Joseph, Minnesota. It is a followup to an article on this web site dated July 19, 2010. The parishioners in St. Joseph have been used and (literally) abused by the monks from Saint John’s Abbey since the early 1960’s. Some residents claim the abuse goes back to the 30s. Recently, new, credible allegations were made against two priests, Father Othmar Hohmann and Father Dan Ward, who once served in St. Joseph. Despite the credible allegations, Abbot John Klassen has refused to reach out to potential victims of these two vicious predators. Hohmann is deceased, Ward remains a priest in good standing. Father Jerome Tupa responded to the letter during mass on January 13.]

Choir Kids & Anonymous Monks

Posted on January 9, 2013

Posted in Anthony Ruff, Axel Theimer

Saint John’s Abbey recently increased the number of known sex offenders from the monastery from eighteen to twenty-three. [ View ] However, the monastery refuses to name the five newly ordained offenders — and has taken the names of the original eighteen offenders off of the abbey web site.

Father Jerome Tupa: Priest… Pornographer?

Posted on December 21, 2012

Posted in Jerome Tupa, St. Joseph Parish

Despite receiving a detailed letter describing misconduct by Father Jerome Tupa, no one from the diocese (or from Saint John’s Abbey) has made an attempt to learn the details of Tupa’s alleged misconduct.

Weather Advisory Delays Information Event

Posted on December 16, 2012

Posted in Dan Ward, Jerome Tupa, Othmar Hohmann

The informational event planned for Sunday morning has been postponed due to inclement weather.

Regarding Father Jerome Tupa

Posted on December 12, 2012

Posted in Bob Rolfes, Jacob Wetterling, Jerome Tupa, Joshua Guimond

How different might Saint John’s had been if monks like Father Jerome Tupa left the monastery to pursue their own selfish pleasures and allowed individuals such as these two men, who were called to monastic life, remain!

Survivor Responds (re Othmar Hohmann)

Posted on December 10, 2012

Posted in Othmar Hohmann, St. Joseph Parish

Patrick, I am very impressed with the courageous and articulate story in this woman’s letter. It is so similar a story to mine. As you know I was also in the Hansel and Gretel play; I was Gretel in the third act of the play, sharing the role with my twin sister.

Fr. Othmar Hohmann Victim Contacts Bishop Kinney

Posted on December 3, 2012

Posted in Bishop John Kinney, John Klassen, Othmar Hohmann, St. Joseph Parish

[Webmaster’s Note: The following letter was notarized and sent to Bishop John Kinney (Diocese of Saint Cloud) of November 26, 2012. The letter was written by a woman who contacted this web site [ View ] on October 7, 2011. She is the third woman to contact this web site regarding Fr. Hohmann, a monk from Saint John’s Abbey. After the first victim shared her story and asked for complete anonymity, a second victim wrote [ View ] to corroborate her story. Abbot Klassen was notified of Fr. Hohmann’s misconduct in 2010 [ View ] but has yet to make Fr. Hohmann’s name public.]

Backous: Volunteer job leads to 35 years as monk

Posted on November 29, 2012

Posted in Tim Backous

“We all regret the fact that it happened because of the injury it caused, and I think the monastery is very determined to make sure that message is front and center.” – Father Timothy Backous – November, 2012

Awareness Event on December 16

Posted on November 26, 2012

Posted in Dan Ward, Jacob Wetterling, Jerome Tupa, Joshua Guimond, Thomas Gillespie

You are invited to join a group of concerned individuals planning to meet in Saint Joseph before and after the 8am and 10am masses on Dec 16, 2012 to distribute information and discuss the decision by the Saint Cloud Diocese to NOT disclose to the parishioners in Saint Joseph that yet another former pastor, Father Dan Ward, has been credibly accused of sexual misconduct.

After 489 Wins, Coach Chooses Retirement

Posted on November 19, 2012

Posted in Bud Grant, Jim Gagliardi, John Gagliardi, Michael Hemesath, Mike Grant

(New York Times) John Gagliardi, who won more games (489) and coached more seasons (64) than anyone in the history of college football, announced his retirement Monday, nine days after wrapping up his 60th season at Division III St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.

Offending Monks Freely Roam Campus

Posted on November 14, 2012

Posted in Abbey Web Site

This content can be found… here

Former Student #4 Remembers Father Dan Ward

Posted on November 14, 2012

Posted in Dan Ward

Three excerpts from a statement signed and notarized on November 10, 2012:

Abbey Now Admits to 23 Monk Perpetrators

Posted on November 8, 2012

Posted in Agustin Cerezo, Allen Tarlton, Andre Bennett, Bede Parry, Brennan Maiers, Bruce Wollmering, BS, Dan Ward, Dominic Keller, Dunstan Moorse, Finian McDonald, Fran Hoefgen, Francisco Schulte, Howard Oaks, Isaac Connolly, James Kelly, Jerome Tupa, Jim Phillips, John Kelly, John Klassen, Jonathan Licari, Mathias Faue, Mel Taylor, Michael Bik, Othmar Hohmann, Paschal Brisson, Peregrin Berres, Robert Blumeyer, Robert Burke, Stephen Lilly, Steve Lilly, Thomas Gillespie, Tim Backous, Timothy Kelly, Tom Andert, Zacheus Zuehlke

Saint John’s Abbey quietly admitted, via a revamped web site in the summer of 2012, that at least 23 members of its community had been credibly accused of sexual abuse or misconduct.

SJU Notice re September Sexual Assault

Posted on November 7, 2012

Posted in Shawn Vierzba

An alleged sexual assault involving a CSB student and an SJU student was recently reported to Saint John’s Life Safety Services. The assault is alleged to have occurred in an on-campus SJU student residence sometime between 9/1/12 and 9/2/12. The College and University have implemented the Joint Complaint Procedure for Sexual Assault Violations Involving Students in response to this complaint. A report was also made to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department and they are conducting their own separate investigation into this matter.

Alleged Rape (and a current coverup) at Saint John’s

Posted on October 23, 2012

Posted in Bill Sexton, Daniel Morgan, John Klassen, John Sanner, Michael Hemesath, Tom Stock

In light of the current investigation underway by law enforcement, I would like to know who authorized the (near complete) scrubbing of [BM’s] name from the SJU Athletic Department web site.

[Webmaster’s Note: This email is a follow-up to a September 28, 2013 letter [ View ] to SJU President Michael Hemesath and others.]

Matthew Feeney Pleads Not Guilty (Video)

Posted on October 19, 2012

Posted in Matthew Feeney

[Webmaster’s Note: Matthew Feeney is a graduate of Saint John’s University and former youth minister at Saint Joseph Church in Saint Joseph, Minnesota.]

Letter to Archbishop Sartain re Father Dan Ward

Posted on October 19, 2012

Posted in Douglas Nowicki, Edward Receconi, Karl Walczak, Luke Travers, Peter Sartain, Tom Andert

Father Dan Ward has influenced decisions made by other Benedictine monasteries, including Saint Martin’s Abbey in Lacey, and other religious orders and organizations. The result: Suspected and/or credibly accused offenders like Father Luke Travers (St. Mary’s), Father Edward Receconi (St. Martin’s), Father Tom Andert (St. John’s), Abbot Douglas Nowicki (St. Vincent’s), Brother Karl Walczak (Christian Brothers / O’Dea) and even Father Dan Ward himself have been able to prey on unsuspecting targets.

Church “lawyers” keep mum on speaker’s five abuse allegations

Posted on October 15, 2012

Posted in CLSA, Dan Ward

The organization representing lawyers practicing Catholic Church “law” recently allowed a man with numerous allegations of sexual abuse to speak to its membership at its Chicago conference.

Road to Recovery: Ward Must Step Down