By Scott Tedrick
Advocate Tribune
January 13, 2011
http://www.granitefallsnews.com/topstories/x471106669/Former-Granite-Falls-resident-alleging-sexual-abuse-by-interim-priest-in-1982-sues-New-Ulm-Diocese
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| francis markey.jpg |
Granite Falls, Minn. — A former Granite Falls man who claims he was sexually abused by St. Andrew Catholic Church former interim priest Fr. Francis Markey is suing the Diocese of New Ulm, according to an article by the Associated Press.
The article states that the lawsuit filed in federal court in Minnesota accuses the Diocese of New Ulm of fraud and conspiracy for failing to disclose what it knew about past abuse allegations against Markey and neglected to warn parents and children.
The lawsuit also names other defendants including, the Diocese of Cogher in Ireland and facilities in the U.S. and Europe where Markey received psychiatric treatment. It claims that the defendants conspired to conceal Markey’s activity from the public, despite the likelihood that Markey would reoffend, according to the article.
In March of 2009, CNN used Granite Falls as the setting for a Special Investigation Report revolving around the 82-year-old Markey who was assigned as interim priest at St. Andrews Catholic Church for three months in 1982. In 2008 Markey was charged with the rape of a 15-year-old boy that allegedly occurred in Ireland 40 years ago.
The report stated that Markey was first suspended as a priest for unidentified reasons in 1964 and sent for psychiatric treatment in Dublin. Throughout the 60s and 70s he underwent suspension and subsequent treatment a total of three times. Eventually, he was sent to New Mexico where it was reported that the Catholic Church ran a treatment facility for priests with “various addictions or sexual problems.”
A statement from by New Ulm Diocese in March of last year said that Markey arrived in Willmar in December of 1981 where he applied and was accepted into the Clinical Pastoral Education program at Willmar Hospital. While participating in the program he did parish work in the Diocese, including a three month stint at St. Andrew.
In its report, CNN interviewed the former Granite Falls resident now suing the Diocese. He was not named in the lawsuit and is now said to reside in Nevada. During the interview, the man said that he was assaulted by Markey as a youth at the priest’s home, formerly located across the street from St. Andrew’s.
According to then St. Andrew Parish Council President Jim Almich, following the alleged incident Markey left Granite Falls two weeks prior to his scheduled departure as the interim pastor. Neither Markey nor the Diocese gave a clear indication as to why he was leaving early, and Almich noted that no one at St. Andrew was aware of what is said to have transpired.
After Markey left the Granite Falls church, the Diocese said the priest went back into treatment because “parents were concerned that he had an unnatural attraction to minor males,” according to CNN.
Last March, current Diocese of New Ulm Vicar General, Fr. Douglas Grams, said that the dioceses did not have any knowledge of Markey’s history when they accepted him into the Diocese through the Clinical Pastoral Education program in Willmar.
In a statement released by the Diocese, it was said that following his time at St. Andrew, “Markey has not lived in or served the Diocese in any capacity.”
Markey was extradited to Ireland to face charges of rape earlier this year.
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