News & Events

Dec 30, 2013: Media Advisory: Diocese of Duluth to Release List of “Credibly Accused” Priests

The release of the list of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors is a good first step for the Diocese of Duluth.We applaud the courageous survivors, including Michael DeRoche, for standing up and seeking the release of this list.While we are encouraged by this first step, for there to be true transparency, the Diocese must also release the secret documents that it has on each priest on the list. These documents will show what…

Dec 30, 2013: Duluth Diocese to Reveal List of ‘Credibly Accused’ Priests

The Duluth Diocese will release the names of its priests who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse Tuesday, a spokesman said today.The announcement comes several weeks after a lawsuit was filed in State
District Court seeking the release of information on 17 priests. The
suit, filed Dec. 9 on the behalf of an anonymous victim, claimed that
the diocese was negligent in allowing abuse to continue and has created a
nuisance by not releasing the names of accused priests.

Dec 26, 2013: Monsignor William Lynn Conviction Overturned by Pa. Court; D.A. ‘Most Likely’ to Appeal

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams said he will most likely appeal the Superior Court’s reversal Thursday of the conviction of Monsignor William Lynn.”I am disappointed and strongly disagree with the court’s decision,” Williams said in a statement. “While we are deciding what our next course of action will be, we most likely will be appealing this decision.”

Dec 24, 2013: Eau Claire Pediatrician Accused of Molesting Patients Faces 14 More Civil Lawsuits

Dr. David Van de Loo was named as a defendant in 14 additional civil suits filed Monday in Eau Claire County Court by former patients who accuse him of sexually abusing them during examinations.Until September 2012, the 61-year-old pediatrician practiced at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, named as one of three additional defendants in the lawsuits. The others are the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund and ProAssurance Casualty Co., both based in Madison. 

Dec 20, 2013: News Release: Statement and Apology Issued to Father Patrick J. Ryan

 News ReleaseJeff Anderson statement of erroneous depiction of priest on“Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ List of 34”Firm issues public apology to Father Patrick J. Ryan(St. Paul, MN) – Jeff Anderson and Associates sincerely apologizes for the incorrect depiction of Father Patrick J. Ryan at its Press Conference on December 5, 2013. At the conference and included in the media kit, our firm depicted Father Patrick J. Ryan on “The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ List of 34.” The image of Father Patrick J. Ryan was mistakenly confirmed as the Father Patrick Joseph Ryan conta…

Dec 10, 2013: News Release: Judge Orders Nuisance Claim to Proceed in Doe 1 Sexual Abuse Case

 News ReleaseDecember 10, 2013Judge Allows Nuisance Claim to ProceedArchdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona fought to have the claim dismissed(St. Paul, MN) – Today, Ramsey County District Judge John Van de North issued an Order allowing a survivor’s nuisance claim to proceed.  The nuisance claim sought to make public the names and documents about credibly accused priests. Last week, the court ordered the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona to release the names.  Today’s decision allows this survivor, Doe 1, to proceed in u…

Dec 03, 2013: News Release: Sexual Abuse Survivor Richard Covin and Breck School Reach Settlement

News ReleaseDecember 3, 2013Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivor Richard Covin andBreck School Reach Settlement(Minneapolis, MN) – Breck School and Richard Covin have reached a settlement of all claims in the matter relating to the actions of William Jacobs while employed by the school in the early 1970s.  The parties have come together in this settlement to acknowledge the seriousness of the harm done by sexual abuse, and to acknowledge that Breck and its Board have implemented and executed a range of policies, actions and protocols to protect students and advance their development.  Off…

Nov 27, 2013: News Release: Hearing Monday Regarding Names and Information on Credibly Accused Child Molesting Priests

News ReleaseNovember 27, 2013Hearing Monday Regarding Names and Information on Credibly Accused Child Molesting Priests(St. Paul, MN) – On Monday, December 2, 2013, at 9:30 AM in Ramsey County District Court, Judge John Van de North may decide whether a secret list containing the names of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona will be made public.Doe 1, along with his attorneys and other sexual abuse survivors, sought to force the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona, to release this informa…

Nov 14, 2013: News Release: Archdiocese Hires Inside Firm to Review Priest Files

 November 14, 2013Archdiocese Hires Insider to Conduct Review of Priest FilesArchbishop Nienstedt to decide what information is accessible for review Statement of Attorney Mike Finnegan(St. Paul, Minnesota) – Today the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Archbishop Nienstedt announced the hiring of Kinsale Management Consulting to conduct a review of clergy files. The firm’s founder, Kathleen McChesney, Ph.D., is the former head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office for Child and Youth Protection. We are concerned that Archbishop Nienstedt chose another chur…

Nov 12, 2013: News Release: Milwaukee Archdiocese, Insurers Exclude Abuse Survivors From Settlement Negotiations

News ReleaseNovember 12,
2013Attorneys for the Archdiocese of
Milwaukee and its Insurers
Reach Confidential Settlement
Excluding Sexual Abuse Survivors 
Archbishop breaks promise to treat
survivors fairly during bankruptcy
(Milwaukee, WI) –
Yesterday the Archdiocese of Milwaukee filed legal papers in the United
States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin seeking to extend
the stay of proceedings due to a confidential settlement agreement reached
between the Archdiocese and one of its primary insurers, LMI. While at first
glance this seems to bring…

Nov 11, 2013: Statement of Attorney Mike Finnegan on Incomplete Release of Clergy Offender List

  November 11, 2013 Archbishop Nienstedt Putting Kids at Risk by Delaying Release of Names of 33 Priests with Credible Allegations of Sexual Abuse Archdiocese has known the identities of the offenders since at least 2004 Statement of Attorney Mike Finnegan (St. Paul, Minnesota) – Nearly a decade ago, the Archdiocese had in its possession the identities of the names of priests with credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Repeated requests to release these names have gone unanswered and finally, today, Archbishop John Nienstedt say…

Nov 07, 2013: Stepinac High School rocked by rape allegations against former teacher Amanda Iles

 WHITE PLAINS – A former religion teacher at an all-boys Catholic school in White Plains has been accused of raping a 14-year-old boy. Amanda Iles, who once taught at Stepinac High School, allegedly had sex with the Yonkers boy between June and July of this year. Investigators say she and the teen had several encounters at her home in Eastchester. The boy’s parents allegedly learned of the incidents through cellphone video of their son’s visits. Iles tutored him twice a week after school.Iles was employed by the school for only a year before resigning and moving to California. News 12…

Nov 04, 2013: Hidden priests, secret pasts: Church silent about where it houses credibly accused clerics

Norberto Nierras says he saw the man with the shock of white hair all the time along Home Avenue, a residential block that teems with children from the Catholic elementary and high schools a few hundred yards away. The man, Nierras said, came and went as he pleased, strolling the Rutherford neighborhood or sitting on a bench outside the four-story building he called home: the St. John Vianney Residence for Retired Priests.