Dahlheimer Obituary

Posted on February 22, 2004
Posted in Cosmas Dahlheimer, Obituary

Webmaster’s Note: No mention of abuse in this obituary. There was an interesting statistic however: Over 250 novices and 35% of the current membership of the abbey learned from his words and example.
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Our Lady: Not Just for Catholics

Posted on December 12, 2003
Posted in Francisco Schulte

Any church wanting to attract Latinos “that doesn’t take into account how deeply that message [of Our Lady of Guadalupe] is rooted in the Latino identity … is pretty well doomed,” said Father Francisco Schulte, a scholar at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.

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Keeping Hope Alive

Posted on November 9, 2003
Posted in Bob Pierson, Joshua Guimond

Written by the Rev. Bob Pierson, OSB, Chaplain/Director of Campus Ministry, Saint John’s University
from the St. Cloud Times, Sunday, Nov. 9
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More Than 200 Leaders Explore Sexual Abuse Legal Issues

Posted on October 1, 2003
Posted in Dan Ward

The Legal Resource Center for Religious held a one-day multidisplinary workshop entitled “Sexual Abuse: The Continuing Response.” Held immediately prior to the LCWR national assembly, the workshop drew more than 200 participants who explored the civil and canon law issues involved in the sexual abuse crisis. The workshop also looked at new issues that have arisen including relationships with dioceses as they strive to comply with the national policies set by the bishops and with their own new diocesan policies.

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Football Family Values (Gagliardi/ESPN.com)

Posted on September 9, 2003
Posted in John Gagliardi

“John [Gagliardi] is the glue that holds the St. John’s community together.”

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Former ‘fixer’ now helps the abuse victims

Posted on September 6, 2003
Posted in Patrick Wall

He liked the job at first. His superiors liked him. He was 26, he was moving fast, and he was doing God’s work. But by the time he’d taken over his fourth parish in four years, he realized he wasn’t doing God’s work at all. He was doing the bidding of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. And those two things, in his mind, were not remotely the same.
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Court to Consider Expelling Clergy

Posted on July 6, 2003
Posted in Allen Tarlton, Andre Bennett, Brennan Maiers, Cosmas Dahlheimer, Dunstan Moorse, Finian McDonald, Fran Hoefgen, Francisco Schulte, Isaac Connolly, John Eidenschink, John Kelly, John Klassen, Richard Eckroth, Thomas Gillespie, William Skudlarek

A Minneapolis man who accuses St. John’s Abbey of “harboring pedophiles” has filed a court action demanding the removal of 11 monks and priests from St. John’s property.
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Abuse lawsuit involving St. John’s Abbey priest dismissed

Posted on July 2, 2003
Posted in Dunstan Moorse, John Kelly, Timothy Kelly

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former St. John’s Preparatory School student accusing a St. John’s Abbey priest of sexual abuse, saying it was filed too late.
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Review boards work toward healing

Posted on July 2, 2003
Posted in BS, David Clohessy, Joelle Casteix, John Klassen, Review Board, SNAP

In the wake of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic church, diocese across the country have set up policy review boards. Two boards in central Minnesota are beginning their work, one at St. John’s Abbey and the other at the St. Cloud Diocese. Their purpose is to monitor the church’s policies and response to sexual abuse. Church officials say the boards have been thoughtfully developed. They say many have a mix of non-Catholic as well as Catholic members, abuse victims and law enforcement officials. But victims’ rights groups are less optimistic. They doubt the review boards will have the power to make any real change in church policy.
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Abbot John Klassen, OSB, Response to St. Cloud Times Editorial

Posted on June 26, 2003
Posted in Jeff Anderson, John Klassen, Review Board

June 26, 2003 — I commend the St. Cloud Times for its thoughtful editorial, “A year later, how is the Catholic church doing?” And I welcome the invitation the Times extended to me to provide an update on my work and on life at Saint John’s Abbey over the last year.
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Review board includes law enforcement, health officials

Posted on June 18, 2003
Posted in Charles A. Flinn, David Baraga, Janet Robert, Jeff Anderson, John Klassen, Jonathan Licari, Kate Lally, Pat Marker, Susan Fuchs-Hoeschen

Collegeville – St. John’s Abbey named eight members of its nine-person External Review Board on Tuesday.

The board’s responsibilities include advising the abbey regarding how to respond compassionately and effectively to survivors of sexual abuse and to minimize the possibility of recurrence of abusive behavior.
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Saint John’s Abbey Names External Review Board

Posted on June 17, 2003
Posted in Charles A. Flinn, David Baraga, David G. Farrington, Janet Robert, Jeff Anderson, John Klassen, Jonathan Licari, Kate Lally, Pat Marker, Review Board, Susan Fuchs-Hoeschen

June 17, 2003 — Abbot John Klassen, OSB, of Saint John’s Abbey today announced the membership and the mission of an External Review Board to review allegations of sexual misconduct against members of the abbey and to provide advice on policies and programs. Klassen agreed to form the Board as part of an Oct. 1, 2002, settlement of several allegations of abuse against the abbey. The first meeting of the Board was held at Saint John’s Abbey June 6-7, 2003.
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Honesty comes before healing

Posted on June 2, 2003
Posted in 1985 Abuse Meeting, Jason Berry, SNAP, Thomas Doyle

THE CHURCH in the United States is experiencing a crisis without precedent in our times,” say the U.S. bishops in the opening sentence of their 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. In this unprecedented crisis, all the Church’s members need to be honest about its extent and what steps are needed to begin healing. This special issue is one contribution toward that twofold goal.
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As Trident goes, TV crew comes to St. John’s

Posted on May 21, 2003
Posted in Joshua Guimond

Although students were gone for the summer, St. John’s was a busy place last week as a Trident Foundation crew searched three campus lakes for clues to the disappearance of Joshua Guimond. And a TV crew from Los Angeles filmed a segment for the show, “P.I.” on the work Twin Cities private investigator Chuck Loesch is doing concerning the death of college student Chris Jenkins and Joshua’s disappearance.
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Joshua Guimond – SJU Web Page

Posted on May 10, 2003
Posted in Joshua Guimond

After extensive physical searches the past seven months throughout all Saint John’s property, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office has concluded the official physical search here for missing SJU student Josh Guimond. Josh was last seen leaving Metten Court on the SJU campus at approximately midnight, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2002. During the entire search effort, Saint John’s has provided support and assistance to local law enforcement agencies, family and friends. Saint John’s, as possible, will continue to assist law enforcement authorities in their pursuit and investigation of any possible leads that might provide information as to the whereabouts of Josh. Saint John’s is committed to continue its support, prayers and concern for the Guimond family and friends as they wait and hope.
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True Believer

Posted on April 16, 2003
Posted in Jeff Anderson

Who will show up in the office today? Jeff Anderson, the wisecracking ambulance chaser with a reputation for hunting priests and an advanced degree in self-promotion, the guy more than a few Catholics have secretly prayed to have consigned eternally to hell? Or Jeff Anderson, tireless champion of the bullied, born-again sober, and obsessed with exposing monsters cloaked in piety?
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Movers & Shapers: Abbot John Klassen

Posted on April 9, 2003
Posted in Allen Tarlton, Columba Stewart, Fran Hoefgen, Jeff Anderson, John Eidenschink, John Klassen, Richard Eckroth

COLLEGEVILLE — He’s the man they call on to get the job done whether on the farm, with soon-to-be monks, in the chemistry department or now as head of the St. John’s monastery.
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A Letter from Abbott John Klassen, O.S.B. ’67

Posted on April 1, 2003
Posted in BS, Gordon Tavis, Jeff Anderson, Jerome Thiesen, John Klassen, Letters to Community, Review Board, Timothy Kelly

Last June I pledged to you to do all in my power to lead Saint John’s monastic community through a period of healing and reconciliation, and all 183 of our confreres joined me in that pledge. Because you are an important and valued member of Saint John’s extended family, it is important to me and Fr. Gordon Tavis to keep you posted from time to time on our progress.

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The Financial Picture of Saint John’s Abbey

Posted on February 6, 2003
Posted in Abbey Statistics, Benedict Leuthner, John Klassen, Settlement Information

“Abbot John Klassen has given his assurance that financial gifts from our benefactors and funds from the university, prep school and The Liturgical Press are not and will never be used in the payment of settlements in the sexual abuse cases involving community members. Financial compensations to victims of sexual abuse by monks come rather from the labor of the abbey’s monks.” – Benedict Leuthner, 2003
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Aloysius Michels Obituary

Posted on February 3, 2003
Posted in Aloysius Michels, Obituary, Raymond Pedrizetti

Aloysius Reinhart Michels, OSB 1913—2002

At the funeral of Father Aloysius, Prior Raymond Pedrizetti, OSB, reminded the community of the variety of the deceased’s assignments during his over sixty years as a priest.
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