By Reg Chapman
WCCO
November 6, 2010
http://wcco.com/local/priest.resigns.undercover.2.1999244.html
[with video]
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| St. Hubert's Catholic Church in Chanhassen, Minn. |
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) ― A Twin Cities priest is off the job after being cited in a sex sting. Police picked him up in a St. Paul park earlier this week.
Parishoners leaving St. Hubert's Roman Catholic Church Saturday night had very little to say about their priest. Many seemed dazed some were even angry when questioned about 53-year-old Father Michael John Krenik and the arrest that led to his resignation.
In beautiful St. Paul parks with the Mississippi River as a backdrop, police know where to look. Inside wooded and secluded areas, police say men cruise for sex from other men.
"Officers were in these specific locations in response to citizen complaints of lewd acts occurring in public, in these park areas," said Officer John Keating with the St. Paul police department.
It was those complaints from people who live near Crosby Farm Park and another area near Mississippi River Boulevard and Eustes Street that led to undercover officers going in to see exactly what was going on.
"This past Thursday, four people were cited in two park areas of the city after exposing themselves to undercover police officers," said Keating.
Two men were arrested in Crosby Farm Park. Two others were nabbed near the Mississippi and Eustes area. One of those arrested was Krenick.
Krenik's public arrest sheet lists his address as 8201 Main Street, Chanhassen. That's the address to St. Hubert's Roman Catholic Church.
As people poured out of the church, a handful of them said they learned of Father Krenik's resignation during mass.
While some were angry, others said they would pray for Krenik.
In a written statement, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said Krenik had voluntarily resigned and that he would be restricted from all public ministry until the case was resolved.
Police say they want people to know if you take part in lewd activities in public places, you will be caught.
"The St. Paul police department wants to ensure that our park areas remain safe and welcoming to everybody and we encourage anybody that sees anything illegal or suspicious in any of our park areas to call police immediately," Keating said.
St. Paul police have done numerous sex stings in different parks around the city.
Just three months ago, the president of Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, Joseph Peschges, was arrested for allegedly touching an undercover officer in the groin area, over his clothes.
Peschges was one of nine men arrested in that July sting operation.
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