MINNESOTA
International Falls Journal
Three priests of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children served in some capacity in International Falls.
A fourth priest had connections to Northome and surrounding areas.
The names and assignment histories of seven priests were released publicly for the first time on Wednesday as part of a settlement in a lawsuit by the St. Paul law firm of Jeff Anderson & Associates.
The following are the names of the priests and their terms in the International Falls area:
Thomas Meyer, served as parochial vicar, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 1999 to 2007.
Michael Charland, 70, staffed weekends as spiritual director for Teens Encounter Christ, leading programs and retreats for school teens and college students at Rainy River Community College and in Fort Frances, Ont., in 1977.
Paul Kubat, 82 or 83, who served from 1967 to 196, at St. Thomas, International Falls.
A fourth preist, James V. Fitzgerald, deceased at age 95, worked as pastor at St. Micheal, Northome, and Effie Mission, Big Fork, in 1957; Our Lady of Snows and Effie Mission, Big Fork, 1961; pastor Holy Cross Church, Orr, 1963; pastor St. Micheals Church, Northome, 1968, 1973.
The release of the names is part of a settlement reached in a civil lawsuit brought by “Doe 30” against the Oblates, the Diocese of Duluth and the Diocese of New Ulm. The settlement was reached in April 2015 between Doe 30, and defendant Oblates. The other defendants in the case – the Diocese of Duluth and Diocese of New Ulm – were not part of the settlement, and Doe 30’s case against them is still pending in Ramsey County District Court.
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