The following is a statement from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and St. John’s Abbey, dated April 27, 2006.
In September, 2005, a 50-year-old man informed the Victim Advocate of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that he was sexually abused as a young man by the late Father Robert Blumeyer, O.S.B., a priest of the Saint’s John’s monastic community. The report has been deemed credible.
The abuse began in 1969 when the victim was 13 and Father Blumeyer was assistant pastor at St. Bartholomew parish in Wayzata and continued for approximately ten years while Father Blumeyer served in pastoral roles at Saint Boniface parish in Hastings and Saint Benedict parish in Avon, MN. Father Blumeyer died October 5, 1983.
The Archdiocese and Abbey have paid for therapy for the man and he has accepted a financial settlement from Saint John’s Abbey and the Archdiocese.
Neither the Archdiocese nor the Abbey knows of other allegations of abuse against Father Blumeyer.
In making this statement, Archbishop Harry Flynn and Abbot John Klassen express deep regret and remorse and reaffirm a commitment to assist this victim and other victims in their process of recovery and healing.
The victim advocate for the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese is Ms. Aneta Sawyer: 651-291-4497.
The victim advocate for Saint John’s Abbey is Gary Schoener at the Walk-In Counseling Center: 612-870-0565.
Dear Members of the SEAS Parish Community:
Fr. Robert Blumeyer served as assistant pastor at St. Boniface in Hastings from 1956-65, and again from 1973-78. The parish leadership of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata, where Fr. Blumeyer had also served, is sharing this news with its community by a letter that was sent to parishioners on May 1, and will be hosting a parish meeting on Wednesday, May 17, at7:00 p.m. at the church at 630 Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata. Abbott John Klassen of Saint John’s Abbey will be present at the St. Bartholomew meeting. For more information on this meeting, please contact the parish of St. Bartholomew at 952-473-6601.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has asked St. Elizabeth Ann Seton to communicate this sad news to our community. The SEAS Parish Council considered the matter in closed session at its April 20 meeting. Because this particular victim was not a member of our community, and because SEAS dealt with the issue of clergy sexual abuse in a very public manner as recently as 2002 (involving incidents long past) the Council recommended that we share the information in a bulletin article and encourage any interested community members to contact the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Victim Advocate Office or to attend the public meeting at St. Bartholomew on May 17.
During this discussion several SEAS Parish Council members shared very positive memories and high regard for Fr. Blumeyer. This news was received with pain and sorrow, and it is with that sense of sadness that this news is passed on to the SEAS parish community. We ask for your prayers for the victim, for Fr. Blumeyer, and for members of this community to whom this news will bring sorrow.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us!
Wishing you Easter blessings and our Lord’s peace,
Fr. Jim Perkl Jim Foster
Pastor Chair, SEAS Parish Council
