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Linda Mierisch
6 years ago
Eight members of a Roman Catholic order of men based in Shoreview have been removed from public ministry as a result of sexual abuse of minors. Their identities were revealed as the Crosier Fathers and Brothers on Wednesday released findings from a third-party investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Crosier priests, brothers and employees. […]
Eight members of a Roman Catholic order of men based in Shoreview have been removed from public ministry as a result of sexual abuse of minors.
Their identities were revealed as the Crosier Fathers and Brothers on Wednesday released findings from a third-party investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against Crosier priests, brothers and employees.
The order did not provide any details of allegations against the eight, who also are barred from contact with minors and need a superior’s permission to leave the Crosiers’ grounds.
The Crosiers also announced a strengthened sexual misconduct policy, which requires removing from public ministry anyone found to have committed sexual abuse of a minor. It mandates notification of civil authorities if there is suspicion a child or vulnerable adult has been abused.
“Today, we are charting a new course in how we deal with this issue,” said the Rev. Thomas Carkhuff, head of the Crosiers, in a statement. “We are acting to ensure we do not look back someday and think there was more we could have done.”
The investigation by Minneapolis-based law firm Faegre & Benson, begun in June, turned up new victims and new incidents of child sex abuse but no new perpetrators, according to the Crosiers.
The most recent reported incident, the order said, occurred more than 15 years ago.
Neil Emon, 61, Phoenix. Formerly served in Onamia and St. Cloud, Minn.
Gabriel Guerrero, 66, Phoenix. Formerly served in Onamia.
Gregory Madigan, 67, Shoreview. Also served in Onamia.
Bruce Maxwell, 62, living under restrictions and performing administrative duties while completing separation from an unspecified branch of the military, where he served as a chaplain.
James Moeglein, 59, Onamia.
Thomas O’Brien, 55, doing internal administrative duties for the Crosiers in Rome. Formerly served in Onamia and St. Paul.
Richard Ohlemacher, 80, Phoenix. Also served in Onamia.
Justin Weger, 77, Phoenix. Previously served in Onamia, St. Paul and Fort Ripley, Minn.
About 100 U.S. members of the order live in five communities: Anoka, Onamia and Shoreview, Minn.; Phoenix; and Riverview, Mich.
The Crosiers announced creation of a “first-contact team” of men and women, clergy and lay people, Catholics and non-Catholics, to receive reports of sexual misconduct from victims.
They also will expand an existing personnel board, which supervises housing and ministry assignments, to include non-Crosiers with expertise in psychology, sociology and law.
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