Gerald (Jerry) K. Foley: Substantiated Claims of Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Gerald (Jerry) K. Foley

Father Gerald (Jerry) Foley, born January 15, 1932, was ordained a priest on June 3, 1961 and worked in parishes throughout the Diocese of Crookston and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis before being permanently removed from the priesthood in 2005 and laicized in 2006.

Sometime before 2005, Father Foley admitted to sexual misconduct in the 1970’s and early 1980’s with women in his pastoral care. By 2005, Vicar General Kevin McDonough of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis was aware of this information. Foley had been assisting with the Twin Cities branch of Retrouvaille, a Catholic group that holds weekend programs for married couples contemplating divorce, around the time of his dismissal in 2006.

Father Foley was named by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis on October 23, 2014 as a priest of another diocese who is alleged to have committed acts of sexual abuse of a minor outside of the Archdiocese.

  • 1960-1976: Diocesan Catholic Social Service Association, Diocese of Crookston, MN
  • 1961-1963: In residence, Newman Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
  • 1962-1974: Administrator, St. Dorothy, Dorothy, MN (Diocese of Crookston)
  • 1974-1976: Pastor, St. Anne, Crookston, MN (Diocese of Crookston)
  • 1976-1978: Executive Director, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Des Moines, IA
  • 1978-1983: Pastor, St. Francis de Sales, Moorhead, MN (Diocese of Crookston)
  • 1978-1983: Pastor, St. Cecilia, Barnesville, MN (Diocese of Crookston)
  • 1983: On leave of absence
  • 1984-1992: Chaplain, St. Joseph Hospital, St. Paul, MN
  • 1987-1992: Chaplain, St. Paul Priory, St. Paul, MN
  • 1990 -2005: Catholic Engaged Encounter/Marriage Ministries task force
  • 1988-2005: Retrouvaille Movement
  • 1992-1993: Unkown
  • 1993-2005: Chaplain, St. Joseph’s Hospital/HealthEast, Inc., St. Paul, MN
  • 2005: Faculties removed
  • 2006: Laicized

Father Foley is currently residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota.