Father Robert P. Clark
Father Robert P. Clark, born June 28, 1958, was ordained a priest of the Diocese of New Ulm on February 18, 1984 after receiving his M.A. in theology from Mount St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Father Clark worked in parishes throughout the Diocese of New Ulm before being removed from active ministry on March 26, 2002
As part of the Doe 1 settlement and child protection action plan, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis released the name of Father Robert Clark to the public on October 23, 2014, as having allegations of committing acts of sexual abuse of a minor outside the archdiocese. On November 5, 2014, Jeff Anderson and Associates released the priest file of Father Clark to the public. The documents reveal that Father Clark was in treatment at St. Michael’s Community in 1989 after an allegation of sexual misconduct was made against him.
In 1994, the Diocese of New Ulm was informed of allegations of sexual misconduct by Father Clark inadvertently through the deposition testimony during a civil lawsuit not involving Clark. The Review Board met with Clark at that time and he was put on periodic monitoring. Father Clark was placed on administrative leave in 1997 after a small group of parishioners discovered that Father Clark had been arrested for soliciting an undercover policeman in Loring Park in Minneapolis. He was residing in his own home in Minneapolis during his leave and undergoing psychological evaluation.
In August of 1997, Father Clark was given permission to minister outside the Diocese of New Ulm and permitted temporary faculties by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. He taught religion at St. Agnes High School in St. Paul, Minnesota from 1998 to 2002. In 2001, an allegation was made against Clark by a young woman claiming he sexually abused her about ten or twelve years ago, but was ultimately determined not to be supported factually.
The Clergy Review Board of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minnesota reviewed Father Clark’s case in 2002 and unanimously recommended that his assignment be terminated immediately and no further assignment within the Archdiocese be given. Subsequently, Clark was removed from active ministry in 2002.
According to the Archdiocese, Father Robert Clark worked in the following parishes:
- 1984: Associate Pastor, Holy Redeemer, Marshall, MN
- 1984-1989: Associate Pastor, Holy Trinity, Winsted, MN
- 1989-1990: Associate Pastor, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm, MN
- 1990-1993: Pastor, St. Anthony, Watkins, MN
- 1992-1996: Parochial Administrator, Church of Our Lady, Manannah, MN
- 1996-1997: Pastor, St. Patrick, Kandiyohi, MN
- 1996-1997: Pastor, St. Thomas More, Lake Lillian, MN
- 1998-1999: Administrative leave
- 1998-2002: Religion Teacher, St. Agnes High School, St. Paul, MN (Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis)
- 2002: Removed from active ministry
Father Robert Clark is currently residing in Mesa, Arizona.