The Badger Catholic: Diocese of Crookston

Showing posts with label Diocese of Crookston. Show all posts

SNAP files coercion lawsuit against Bp. Hoeppner of Crookston MN Diocese, bishop denies any wrongdoing

A former vicar general for the Diocese of Winona accused of coercion "categorically denies" the claim that he covered up an allegation of clergy sexual assault, according to a statement released by the Diocese of Crookston, where he now is bishop.

Michael Joseph Hoeppner, 67, is the first bishop in the United States to be individually sued for coercion, said Jeff Anderson, a St. Paul attorney who's represented hundreds of survivors of clergy abuse. The personal injury lawsuit was filed Tuesday.

Hoeppner was vicar general at Winona from about 1998 until being named bishop at Crookston in 2007, church records show.

In 2010, Ron Vasek was exploring the possibility of becoming a deacon in the Catholic Church when he allegedly told Hoeppner he'd been sexually assaulted in about 1971 by Roger Grundhaus.

At the time of the alleged abuse, Grundhaus was a priest at the diocese; he was vicar general of the Crookston diocese from 1991 to 2008.

continue at Roch Post-Bulletin

So why is being charged with coercion instead of a heftier charge? According to Minn Public Radio, it sounds like the case has already been reviewed by law enforcement and no charges were brought.

But in a statement Tuesday the Diocese of Crookston said the bishop "categorically denies that he in any way forced, coerced or encouraged Mr. Vasek to not pursue his allegations." The statement said the diocese encourages the reporting of abuse. It said Vasek's abuse claims were reported to law enforcement in 2011, but did not say who made the report.

The diocese said it plans to conduct an investigation into the allegations, and would have no further comment about Vasek's allegations until it is complete.

The accused priest declined to comment. He retired in 2010, and his name does not appear on a list of clergy who the diocese said had been accused of abuse. In 2014, the Diocese of Crookston released the names of six accused priests after similar releases by other Minnesota dioceses in response to public pressure from victims and parishioners and, in some cases, court orders and pending litigation.

MPR

We've seen SNAP parade around some other baseless claims, and might be looking at ways of getting their money without suffering the now real possibility of a countersuit.

MPR: Will sex abuse claims lead more Minn. dioceses to bankruptcy?

Minnesota Catholic Church leaders in St. Cloud, Crookston, New Ulm and Winona are weighing what to do as their dioceses face the financial fallout from hundreds of sex abuse claims between them.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Duluth sought bankruptcy court protection after being overwhelmed by clergy sex abuse claims. Soon, some of the state's smaller dioceses will be forced to choose.

Experts are divided on the path they might take.

"It's unlikely that they're going to bankruptcy, based on national trends," said Charles Zech, director of the Center for Church Management at Villanova University.

continue at MPR

With Sacred Heart lawsuit, questions over whether parishes are liable in SNAP trials

A Twin Cities attorney and Diocese of Crookston monsignor say they want the same thing: healing and justice for survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

But where attorney Mike Finnegan and Monsignor Mike Foltz differ is who should be sued in the latest wave of lawsuits related to the recent May 25 deadline of the Minnesota Child Victims Act.

...
"If the priest is dead, for example, you could say, 'Well shucks, what's the reason to file the lawsuit if he can't hurt somebody else?' And the first response from virtually every victim I've ever spoke to is ... to deter coverups in the future," said David Clohessy, director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, a nonprofit that helps survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
...
"What's been happening more recently is the diocese, when we haven't sued (the parish), they've gone into court and said, 'He's not our guy. He's the parish's guy. The parish is the one who pays him. The parish is the one where he lives. And so, we don't have anything to do with him. We're not responsible,' " Finnegan said. [I'd like to see the case he references. If so, the diocesan claim is absolutely reprehensible. Or is this a straw man argument? Religious order priests is a different question, but a diocesan priest was said to not fall under the jurisdiction of a diocese?]

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The Catholic Church isn't the only institution dealing with child sexual abuse cases across the country. The Minneapolis Children's Theatre is facing lawsuits alleging abuse dating back to the 1970s, and the Boy Scouts of America has allegations from decades ago against it, too.

full article at Grand Forks Herald

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston, MN

Old Crookston Cathedral
Ash St. at 2nd Ave., Crookston

It may be remembered by locals as the former Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, but its intrigue also lies in a unique architectural component: It has three spires atop its neo-gothic facade. In a world where most churches of this style only have two towers, architect Bert Keck gave several northern Minnesota churches three. The 1912 church is one of only three still standing in Minnesota — the others are in Duluth (the old Sacred Heart Cathedral, now the Sacred Heart Music Center at 2nd Ave. W and 4th Street) and Terrebonne (St. Anthony of Padua parish in a town of that name in Red Lake County). (Unfortunately, none are used as Catholic churches today.) It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Catholic Spirit

From Stella Borealis