MINNESOTA
Star Tribune
By Jean Hopfensperger Star Tribune SEPTEMBER 2, 2015
The Rev. Joseph Gallatin, accused of inappropriately touching a teenage boy on a mission trip in 1998, is the second priest in the past week disciplined by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for alleged child abuse — a pace considered “extraordinary” by some victim advocates.
Gallatin, who most recently served as pastor at the Church of St. Peter in Mendota Heights, is barred from celebrating mass in a church, hearing confessions, wearing a priestly collar or engaging in other ministry activities. His case has been sent to the Vatican for “final resolution.”
“Imposing these precautionary measures reflects the seriousness of the allegation,” wrote interim archbishop Bernard Hebda in a statement, “but should not be viewed as a presumption of guilt.”
The archdiocese also announced the reinstatement of the Rev. Gerald Dvorak to the Church of St. Peter in Richfield. Dvorak was put on a leave of absence in May following an accusation that he sexually abused a minor in the 1970s. An archdiocese investigation determined the claim was not substantiated.
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