Thomas Gillespie
On May 19, 2014, the priest file of Father Thomas Gillespie was publicly released. Gillespie is one of 17 credibly accused clerics from St. John’s Abbey.
Father Thomas William Gillespie, OSB is a native of Minneapolis, MN. Born on July 24, 1937, Father Gillespie entered the monastic community of St. John’s professing simple vows on July 11, 1958. Gillespie studied theology at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest May 30, 1964.
Father Gillespie has served as a priest in the Diocese of Saint Cloud, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Archdiocese de San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas, and as webmaster for St. John’s Preparatory School. He worked in various parishes throughout Minnesota and is included on official lists of clergy members who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse from two dioceses and one religious order including: the Diocese of St. Cloud, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and the St. John’s Abbey.
According to the Diocese of St. Cloud list (released 1/03/2014), the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis list (revised 2/17/2014), and the St. John’s Abbey list (released 12/19/2013), Father Thomas Gillespie worked at the following parishes:
· 1964-67 Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul, MN
· 1968 St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN
· 1969-75 Caguas. Humacao, Puerto Rico
· 1976 St. Boniface Church, Cold Spring, MN
· 1977-78 Church of St. Bernard, St. Paul, MN
· 1979-86 St. Mary’s Church, Stillwater, MN
· 1987-96 St. Joseph’s Church, St. Joseph, MN
· 1999-2012 St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN
Ministerial Status: He was permanently removed from ministry in 1996. Father Gillespie is still a monk and currently lives at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota on restrictions.