Pages

26 November 2015

Documents reveal extent of sex abuse allegations against Minnesota priests

Confidential files on five priests accused of child sexual abuse have been made public as part of a settlement between St John’s Abbey and an abuse survivor. Sex abuse allegations against priests at St John’s Abbey in Minnesota were revealed in stark detail on Tuesday with the release of confidential documents concerning five priests accused of child sex abuse.
Among the psychological evaluations and personal correspondence are documents showing that the Rev Finian McDonald told a therapist that he had sexual encounters with about 200 adults and minors as a priest. Another evaluation shows that the Rev Richard Eckroth admitted to bringing children to a cabin, where he would give massages to naked boys, but denied claims of sex abuse. And the Rev Tom Gillespie’s personnel file shows that he had restricted access to minors after abusing a child in 1978.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/25/documents-reveal-extent-of-sex-abuse-allegations-against-minnesota-priests