St. John's Should Release All Backous Files

By Anne Clark
St. Cloud Times
February 12, 2015

http://www.sctimes.com/story/opinion/2015/02/12/st-johns-release-backous-files/23304151/

Pope Francis' new anti-sex abuse commission met recently in Rome. Members demanded bishops be held accountable for how they handle allegations. The Vatican has vowed that it's "keenly aware that the issue of accountability is of major importance."

The St. Cloud Times reported June 11 that the ex-headmaster of St. John's Preparatory School was accused of sexual abuse. "The allegations of inappropriate contact by the Rev. Timothy Backous surfaced in a letter sent May 31 by Chris and Kathy McDermid, who live in St. Cloud and whose son was in the choir when it made a trip to Europe in 1990, to Archbishop John Nienstedt of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The letter was copied to (St. John's Abbot John) Klassen and St. Cloud Bishop Donald Kettler."

Minnesota Public Radio reported June 11 that the McDermids met with the head of St. John's at the time, Abbot Jerome Theisen. They said "Theisen promised that Backous would no longer be allowed to work with the boys' choir or students at St. John's, the McDermids said, adding they put the matter behind them."

Backous went on to serve as athletic director of St. John's University and headmaster of St. John's Prep. The family was not notified of this continued contact with children or that the promise he would no longer be allowed to work with children had not been fulfilled.

Klassen has said the charges made by the family were "unsubstantiated."

Fox News, reported June 11 Backous "remains in good standing with the church, but Catholic leaders say they are inquiring about how the allegations were handled."

How were these serious allegations handled? Klassen and Nienstedt should release all the files of Backous during his seminary training, working life and current residency at St. John's University, Abbey and the Prep school.