New Prague Priest, on Leave for Sex Misconduct, Returns to Parish

By Emily Gurnon
Pioneer Press
April 17, 2014

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_25587227/new-prague-priest-leave-sex-misconduct-returns-parish

A priest who took a voluntary leave of absence in November for past sexual misconduct not involving children has returned to his New Prague churches.

A written statement on the website of the New Prague Area Catholic Community said the Rev. David Barrett returned to public ministry over the weekend.

Barrett, 49, did not immediately return a call and an email seeking comment Thursday.

The website statement quoted him as saying his past behaviors included "angry outbursts, inappropriate staring at women, and inappropriate sexual misconduct with non-parishioner adult females, which was over a decade ago.

"I acknowledge how wrong I was, have repented, received help, and now I ask your forgiveness," Barrett continued.

He said that while he takes full responsibility for his actions, "childhood bullying and treatable mental illness were factors," according to the statement.

The parish statement said that, according to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Barrett "was gracious and cooperative as they conducted a long and thorough process of review ..."

Barrett's past actions and potential risk factors were examined by the archdiocese's ministerial standards board and Los Angeles-based firm Kinsale Management, which "has expertise in reviewing priest files," the statement said.

Barrett is regional associate pastor for the New Prague-area Catholic churches, which include St. John's and St. Scholastica.

Another priest who went on voluntary leave in November remains out of public ministry, archdiocese spokesman Jim Accurso said Thursday.

The Rev. Paul Moudry, 64, has served as pastor at St. Margaret Mary in Golden Valley since 2001. As with Barrett, Moudry's misconduct did not involve sexual abuse of minors or members of any parish where he was serving, Accurso said previously.

Emily Gurnon can be reached at 651-228-5522. Follow her at twitter.com/emilygurnon.