SPM Archdiocese won't investigate priest named in note by suicidal man

OWENSBORO, Ky. — Church officials in Minnesota say they are not planning to investigate one of the priests named in a Facebook note a Kentucky man posted before he shot himself to death in a church parking lot.

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis spokesman Dennis McGrath told The Messenger-Inquirer there was no justification for an investigation into the Rev. William Baer, former rector of St. John Vianney College Seminary at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, where David M. Jarboe had once been a student.

The 23-year-old Jarboe shot himself in the parking lot of Blessed Mother Catholic Church in Owensboro on Feb. 3.

His Facebook posting mentioned Baer and two other priests, as well as pain as a result of sexual abuse in the church.

This is one of the comments (#20) in the PPD article this morning from someone in Minneapolis named "Rob:"

I knew David and I know what his last Facebook post said. He did NOT state that he was sexually abused by Fr. Baer. What he did say is that Fr. Baer is "an evil man". David said he was sexually abused by a priest in his youth (he named the priest) and then went on to say he "forgave" him. However, he clearly harbored ill feelings toward Baer. Those of us who know him think it's possible that Baer, as head of the seminary, may have nixed David's planned vocation, once the earlier abuse was out in the open (weeding out those who may be deemed a risk to the Church, or could possibly repeat the abuse). I can see where maybe the seminary would take that position--But for poor David, once again he was eff'd by the church...they stole his innocence and childhood as a kid and his dream/life ambition of becoming a priest. This is a tragedy on every level. I wonder what God thinks?

Most of the 25 comments were very negative, as might be expected.

Pioneer Press