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- Where is Fr. Michael Leonard Hahn?
- SCSO Report Different Than Seven Witnesses
- Concerns at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
- What Happened to Joshua Guimond? (The LeSabre)
- Matthew Feeney Slipped Through Their Fingers.
- Obituary - Father Bruce Wollmering OSB, 1940-2009
- The Autopsy of Bruce Wollmering
- Schulte - Letter re Marker on Review Board
- Prep School Teacher Out After "Incident" Reported
- Lawsuit Filed re Father Doug Mullin, OSB
- Abbot John Klassen Retiring
- Investigators: In Feeney's Words (Video)
- Father Brennan Maiers Dies at 86
- Koopmann: Poetry and Cockwarmers
- Rev. Robert Koopmann - Secrets Caught Up
- The List
- Eleven SJP Grads Among Monk Perpetrators
- Reports surface of ‘sex competition’ in Patrick Hall
- CSB/SJU community demands action after allegation of 'sex competition' among St. John's students
- CSB, SJU Investigate Alleged Sex Competition (AP)
- CSB/SJU investigating allegations of 'sex competition' run by male students
- St. John's Boys' Choir completes investigation into sexual misconduct allegation
- Stearns County football coach under investigation resigns
- Former Kimball coach shares story following closed investigation
- Tim Nahan Press Conference
- Minnesota high school football coach being investigated after complaint
Former Student Remembers Father Dan Ward
“[In 1975,] Father [JP] Earls had me meet with Father Dan Ward. Father Ward and I discussed my financial situation, the misconduct by Father [Finian] McDonald, and the attention being paid by other priests [including Father Bruce Wollmering].”
Former Student #1 Remembers Father Dan Ward
I began my education at St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville, Minnesota as a ninth grader in the fall of 1970. As a “resident” student, I lived in the dormitory during the school year and went home during the summer. During my time at the Prep School I came to know Fr. Daniel Ward as a teacher, counselor and Deacon at that time.
Former Student #2 Remembers Father Dan Ward
I attended St. John’s University in Collegeville in the mid-to-late 1970’s. Recent events at St. John’s, of which I have just been made aware, compel me to come forward and to relate an experience from my freshman year.
Allegations of sexual misconduct bring two monks under investigation
Brother Aelred Senna, spokesperson for St. John’s Abbey, confirmed the investigations into [Father Mel Taylor and Father Dan Ward]. He wrote in an e-mail to the FOX 9 Investigators, “I am able to say that Saint John’s Abbey is cooperating fully with authorities in these investigations. In light of that fact, and out of respect for all concerned, it would be inappropriate for me to make any further comment. The Saint John’s community continues to pray for the healing and well-being of all victims of sexual abuse and misconduct.”
Ward and Taylor Under Investigation
Father Dan Ward, OSB and Father Mel Taylor OSB, both priests/monks from Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota (USA) are under investigation following claims of sexual and other misconduct. The investigations were commissioned with the knowledge of Abbot John Klassen and Bishop John Kinney from the Diocese of Saint Cloud.
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Letter from Alum: SJU Removed from Will
Needless to say, we no longer donate money and are not proud to be graduates of SJU. My parents recently told me that they have removed CSB and SJU from their will.
Letter to CLSA regarding Dan Ward Investigation
[Webmaster’s Note: Sr. Sharon Euart is the Executive Coordinator of the Canon Law Society of America (CLSA) and serves of Board of Directors of the Resource Center for Religious Institutes (RCRI) where Father Dan Ward, OSB serves as Executive Director. Sr. Sharon Euart did not respond to this letter. Another member of the CLSA, Rita Joyce, did response. Ms. Joyce wrote in an email, “Your email will receive attention after convention. There is nothing that I can do until the program is over.” It is believed that the CLSA allowed Father Dan Ward, OSB — a clergy member under investigation for sexual misconduct — to speak at their convention.]
Sexual Misconduct in Monastics (Dan Ward)
For a monastic, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation involve the abuse of the trust placed in the monastic, which can involve other members of the monastery. Such misconduct is more than a moral issue of abuse because society places a great deal of respect, trust and authority in members of a monastery. Such misconduct can also become an issue involving professional, ministerial integrity. – Fr. Dan Ward, OSB
Letter to Michael Hemesath re Sexual Assault
[Webmaster’s Note #1: The following email was sent to Saint John’s University President Michael Hemesath and ten other members of the CSB/SJU community on September 28, 2012. There has been no response. ]
Father Mel Taylor Back in Ireland
According to a parishioner at the church where Father Mel Taylor was supposed land on September 1, 2012, the “alleged” perpetrating monk is back in Ireland…. tending to an ailing family member.
A little about the history… [in the Bahamas]
[Webmaster’s Note: The following text is from the Benedictine Volunteers Bahamas web site [ View ]. Father Mel Taylor left the Bahamas after being confronted at a Nassau church on June 3, 2012 [ View ] after Archbishop Patrick Pinder failed to meet the needs of one of Father Mel Taylor’s alleged victims. Brother Paul Richards recently left the abbey and was removed as abbey spokesperson. According to the parent of a monk at Saint John’s, allegations of misconduct by Brother Paul Richards were discussed with the monks around the time of Richards’ departure. [ View ].
Alleged assault at CSB/SJU
An alleged sexual assault occurred on the St. John’s University campus between Saturday, Sept. 1 and Sunday, Sept. 2.
Video of Confrontation in the Bahamas
In late December of 2011, [Victim] met with Archbishop Patrick Pinder in the conference room in the chancery at St. Francis Cathedral in Nassau, Bahamas. The meeting was close to an hour in length. [Victim] asked that Pinder bring Father Mel Taylor in for a meeting so that [Victim] could confront Taylor regarding sexual advances, exposures and other inappropriateness perpetrated by Taylor when [Victim] was a novice monk in the early 1990s. [Victim] simply wanted to put the issue to rest.
Email re Withholding Alumni Donations
Good afternoon, I first came across your site a few years ago and found it extremely disturbing. I had Brother Isaac Connelly as my FR freshman year. Though I never experienced anything with him, I can’t say that I was surprised to see him on this list.
Letters and Statements to the Saint John’s Community
[Webmaster’s Note: For almost twenty years, the leadership at Saint John’s claims to have written articles and sent letters and emails regarding sexual misconduct to the members of its community. If you are a member of the Saint John’s community, I am interested to know how many of these messages (below) you received and, approximately how many fundraising and other promotional correspondence you received in the past twenty years.]
Fundraising Court Cases
As described in an earlier post [ View ] it has been alleged that employees of the Order of Saint Benedict (including St. John’s University and Saint John’s Abbey) engaged in “financial elder abuse” and “predatory fundraising”.
The LCWR and Rev. Dan Ward
According to the LCWR’s April 2012 newsletter, there has been a “precipitous decline in the number of religious.”
Tagged RCRI
Another Fictitious Restraining Order
On August 7, 2013, an express delivery to Gina Gagliardi-Benson was refused. The letter [ View ] requested that Ms. Gagliardi-Benson provide, by 5pm on August 12, 2013 (today) a copy of the restraining order she claimed was in effect on July 3, 2013 (see below).
Allegations at St. John’s University: Elder Abuse and Predatory Fundraising
St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN calls itself a “College of Distinction.” But in courtrooms in California and Minnesota, the Benedictine university also being called a predatory fundraiser and has been slapped with allegations of elder abuse.