MINNESOTA
Post-Bulletin
Kay Fate, kfate@postbulletin.com
WINONA — The man who abruptly resigned as vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Winona continues to say Mass and celebrate the sacraments, despite what the church’s own law says about suspended priests.
The Rev. Msgr. Richard Colletti, 63, tendered his resignation a week ago after the Post-Bulletin discovered he admitted under oath in the early 1990s that he had a sexual relationship with a college freshman whom he was counseling.
The relationship lasted for more than a year, according to court documents obtained by the Post-Bulletin, and included a pregnancy scare.
The vicar general is the second-highest ranking position in the diocese. Colletti also resigned from his position as administrative chaplain for the Winona Newman Center.
Bishop John Quinn said June 1 that “it would have been within my role to (terminate Colletti), but before I even began that discussion, Monsignor informed me that he wished to resign.” The resignation was effective that day.
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