MINNESOTA
National Catholic Reporter
Brian Roewe | Dec. 5, 2013
1:56 p.m., CST: This post has been updated with comments from BishopAccountability.org President Terrance McKiernan.
Following through on a vow made a month ago, the St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese released Thursday the names of 30 former priests with substantiated claims of sexual abuse of minors.
The priests named relate primarily to reported incidents that occurred between the mid-1950s and 1980s. All but one of those with substantiated claims were listed in a 2004 report by the archdiocese as part of a nationwide survey of credibly accused clergy.
The 30th priest is Curtis Wehmeyer, currently serving five years in prison, whose name appeared among others in news reports by Minnesota Public Radio — based on documents and information supplied by former archdiocesan canon lawyer Jennifer Haselberger — detailing negligence and lack of adherence to abuse-related archdiocesan policies.
All 30 have been removed from ministry. Two have been laicized, and one was dismissed from his order and dispensed from vows. …
Six of the 30 names became public for the first time, according to Terrance McKiernan, president of BishopAccountability.org. They are Frs. Alfred Longley (deceased), Timothy McCarthy, Paul Palmitessa, Joseph Pinkosh, Richard Skluzacek (deceased) and Raymond Walter.
Saying the release of names will allow for further investigation and greater protection of children in the case of those priests accused still living, McKiernan expressed gratitude to Nienstedt for posting the list, but also for the work of victims in achieving the end.
“They have found a way of transforming the numbers … into names. And of course names have stories, and names unfortunately have victims. And it’s a really, really crucial achievement,” he told NCR.
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