Church adds former Iowan to accused sex abuser list

Des Moines Register
October 26, 2014

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2014/10/27/catholic-church-iowan-sexual-abuse-minors-archdiocese-st-paul-minneapolis/17986395/

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has disclosed the names of 17 additional priests who have been accused of sexually abusing minors, including one man who worked in Iowa during the 1970s.

Allegations were found to be substantiated in all cases.

Jerry Foley, 82, was executive director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in Des Moines from 1976 to 1978, according to information on the archdiocese’s website.

Almost all of his other assignments after being ordained in 1961 were in Minnesota. He was part of the Diocese of Crookston, Minn., and was removed as a priest in 2006.

Foley abused a minor outside the St. Paul archdiocese, officials wrote, without specifying where or when. He now lives in Minneapolis.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests issued a statement Friday saying that church leaders in Iowa should “honor their pledges to be ‘open’ about clergy sex cases” and inform parishioners and the public about Foley and encourage victims to seek assistance.

The archdiocese said that most of the accusations associated with the names announced last week are from the mid-1950s to mid-1980s. Ten of the men are dead. Four previously unpublicized names — Foley was not among this group — were released as part of a settlement reached this month with victims of clergy sexual abuse.

A Des Moines Diocese spokesperson said the diocese would review its records regarding whether Foley served in the Des Moines area.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.