MN--Duluth predator priest is exposed

By Verne Wagner
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
February 3, 2015

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mn_duluth_predator_priest_is_exposed

Duluth predator priest is exposed

Catholic officials are re-opening probe

Cleric is accused of abusing a boy and a girl

He was transferred to five states & 7 MN towns

Victims to Duluth bishop: "How many others are you hiding?"

Twin Cities Catholic officials are re-opening an investigation into accusations that a priest who worked in the Duluth area sexually abused two South Dakota children.    

Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, learned last week that Fr. J. Vincent Fitzgerald was at St. Michael's parish in Northome from 1970- 1971 and at St. Catherine's parish in Squaw Lake from 1972-1983.

In 2010, Fr. Fitzgerald was sued for reportedly assaulting a boy and a girl in the late 1960s at the Tekakwitha Indian Mission in Sisseton, South Dakota.

http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/twin-cities-archdiocese-reopens-case-priest-accused-sex-abuse

Fr. Fitzgerald was in the news last week, when a Twin Cities judge ruled that two Minnesota bishops must release his records and when St. Paul Catholic officials re-opened their investigation into him.

Fr. Fitzgerald worked in five states and SNAP strongly suspects that he may have assaulted kids in each of them.

"Child predators rarely strike once or twice," said Verne Wagner of Duluth. "We worry that there are adults here in Minnesota who were hurt by Fr. Fitzgerald and are still struggling in shame, silence and self-blame. And we worry how many other credibly accused predator priests there are like Fr. Fitzgerald - who are still being hidden by Catholic officials in Duluth."

"Catholic officials in Oregon, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois and South Dakota use Google,"said David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP's director. "They know this priest – and others – are proven, admitted or credibly accused child molesters who have hurt kids elsewhere and may have hurt kids in both states. Yet they stay silent instead of using their vast resources to try to help police, prosecutors and victims secure justice and protect others and expose cover ups."

"Reaching out to victims who are still trapped in silence, shame, confusion and self-blame is cheap, quick and effective,” said Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP's outreach director. "It can help victims break their silence and get help. It can help police and prosecutors pursue those who commit and conceal child sex crimes. But few Catholic officials have the courage and compassion to take this simple step to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded and expose the truth."

"For decades, US bishops have promised to be 'open' about predator priests," said Dorris. "But like these two Belleville bishops, most church officials continue their patterns of recklessness, callousness and deceit. We hope Portland Archbishop Alexander Sample, St. Paul Archbishop John Neinstedt, Springfield MO Bishop James Vann Johnston, Springfield IL Bishop Thomas Paprocki, New Ulm Bishop John LeVoir, Crookston Bishop Michael Hoeppner, Duluth Bishop Paul Sirba, Sioux Falls Bishop Paul Swain and Belleville Bishop Edward Braxton will prove us wrong, act responsibly, and warn their flocks about these three priests and offer real help to their victims."

A photo of Fr. Fitzgerald is available at BishopAccountability.org. Ordained in 1950, he worked in five other Minnesota towns (besides the two in the Duluth area): St. Paul and Buffalo (in the St. Paul archdiocese) and Naytahwaush, White Earth and Kelliher (in the Diocese of Crookston).

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2013/11_12/2013_11_21_CrookstonTimes_CheersAnd.htm

At least one of Fr. Fitzgerald's victims is represented by St. Paul attorneys Jeff Anderson (651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell, jeff@andersonadvocates.com ) and Mike Finnegan (651 227 9990, mike@andersonadvocates.com ).

Here is the complete assignment history of Fr. Fitzgerald from the OfficialCatholic Directory:

Father James Vincent Fitzgerald, o.m.i. -Ordained 1950

Assignments per Catholic Directory

1950- Not Listed

1951- Not Listed

1952- Godfrey R.F.D., IL. St. Joseph Novitiate (Diocese of Springfield in Illinois)

1953- Godfrey R.F.D., IL. St. Joseph Novitiate (Diocese of Springfield in Illinois)

1954- Godfrey R.F.D., IL. St. Joseph Novitiate (Diocese of Springfield in Illinois)

1955- Buffalo, MN: King's House (Order Retreat House) (Diocese of St. Paul) 

1956- Buffalo, MN: King's House (Order Retreat House) (Diocese of St. Paul)

1957- Buffalo, MN: King's House (Order Retreat House) (Diocese of St. Paul) 

1958- Northome, MN: St. Michael's (Diocese of Duluth) 

1959- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland) 

1960- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland) 

1961- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland) 

1962- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland)

1963- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland) 

1964- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland)

1965- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland)

1966- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland)

1967- Salem, OR (Diocese of Portland)

1968- Sisseton, SD: Indian Mission (Diocese of Sioux Falls)

1969- Sisseton, SD: Indian Mission (Diocese of Sioux Falls)

1970- Northome, MN: St. Michael's (Diocese of Duluth)

1971- Northome, MN: St. Michael's (Diocese of Duluth)

1972- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (Diocese of Duluth)

1973- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (Duluth); Kelliher, MN: St. Patrick's (Crookston)

1974- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (D. of Duluth); Kelliher, MN: St. Patrick's (D. of Crookston)

1975- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (D. of Duluth); Kelliher, MN: St. Patrick's (D. of Crookston)

1976- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (D. of Duluth); Kelliher, MN: St. Patrick's (D. of Crookston)

1977- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (D. of Duluth); Kelliher, MN: St. Patrick's (D. of Crookston)

1978- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (D. of Duluth); Kelliher, MN: St. Patrick's (D. of Crookston)

1979- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine ( Dul.); Indian Parishes and Missions (Foreign Miss.)

1980- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine ( Dul.); Indian Parishes and Missions (Foreign Miss.)

1981- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (Diocese of Duluth)

1982- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (Diocese of Duluth)

1983- Squaw Lake, MN: St. Catherine (Diocese of Duluth)

1984- Naytahwaush, MN: St. Annes (Di'ocese of Crookston)

1985- Naytahwaush, MN: St. Anne's (Diocese of Crookston)

1986- White Earth, MN: St. Benedict's (Diocese of Crookston)

1987- Not Listed

1988- Mansfield, MO: Immaculate Heart of Mary (Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau)

1989- Not Listed

1990- Not Listed

1991- Not Listed

1992- St. Paul, MN: Oblate Provincial Offices (Diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis)

1993- St. Paul, MN: Oblate Provincial Offices (Diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis)

1994- St. Paul, MN: Oblate Provincial Offices (StP); Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary

1995- Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, St. Henry's Oblate Residence (Bel) 

1996- Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, St. Henry's Oblate Residence (Bel) 

1997- Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, St. Henry's Oblate Residence (Bel) 

1998- Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, St. Henry's Oblate Residence (Bel) 

1999- Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, St. Henry's Oblate Residence (Bel) 

2000- Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, St. Henry's Oblate Residence (Bel)

2001- Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, St. Henry's Oblate Residence (Bel)

2002- Belleville, IL: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, St. Henry's Oblate Residence (Bel)