Fond du Lac area high school seminary rector suspended in sexual misconduct allegation

For the second time in recent weeks, the Capuchin Catholic religious order has removed a high-profile priest for a decades-old allegation of sexual misconduct involving a minor.

Father Dennis Druggan, rector and president of St. Lawrence Seminary High School in Mt. Calvary — the nation’s oldest and largest school of its kind — was placed on administrative leave Friday, pending an investigation. The incident is alleged to have involved a minor at St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, Mont., about 25 years ago, the order said.

The Rosebud, Mont., County Attorney’s Office received the allegation in June and initially told the Capuchins that it would not investigate because it was beyond the statute of limitations. But County Attorney Michael Hayworth said Monday that he has since learned that Druggan left Montana within 10 years of the alleged incident — essentially stopping the clock for prosecution — and that the case remains open.

Capuchin spokeswoman Colleen Crane said Druggan has denied the allegation and that there have been no complaints against the priest at St. Lawrence, where he has served since 1992. She said the Detroit-based order would hire an independent investigator for its own review.

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I missed the Father Matthew Gottschalk thing a couple weeks ago.