COLLEGEVILLE (MN)
St. John’s Abbey
September 18, 2017
Saint John’s Abbey is adding the names of three former monks to its list of those likely to have offended against minors. All three former monks are deceased and all three had severed their relationship with Saint John’s Abbey well before their deaths.
Casimir Plakut became a monk in 1932 and was ordained in 1938. He worked at several parishes, including Duluth, Detroit Lakes, Cold Spring, and Naytahwaush, Minnesota. He began the process of leaving Saint John’s in 1958, and finalized his intentions in 1962. He died in 1988.
Augustine John Strub became a monk in 1939 and was ordained in 1947. He served in parishes in Cloquet, Naytahwaush, Callaway, and at St Mary’s Hospital, Duluth, Minnesota. He left Saint John’s and the priesthood in 1961-62. He died in 2015.
James Kelly became a monk in 1936 and was ordained in 1942. He taught and studied music at Saint John’s University and other colleges. He also served in various parishes in the Twin Cities and also at Ball Club, Minnesota. He left Saint John’s and the priesthood in 1973 and was formally dismissed from the priesthood in 1976. He died in 2011.
Saint John’s Abbey, in keeping with its policies and practices, intends to make public documents related to these individuals at a future date. However, those documents must first be redacted to remove the names and other identifying details to protect innocent parties mentioned in the documents.
This brings the number of current and former monks on Saint John’s list to twenty-one, thirteen of whom are deceased and two of whom have permanently left the order. The list and information about Saint John’s response to sexual abuse can be found at: http://www.saintjohnsabbey.org/info/safe-environment/.
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