News

Media AdvisoryFebruary 3, 2015First Public Nuisance Lawsuit Filed Against the Archdiocese of Chicago Involving Fr. Daniel McCormackThe lawsuit seeks disclosure of the identities and secret documents of all clergy offenders since 1950 (Chicago, IL) – The law firm of Jeff Anderson & Associates, in conjunction with Kerns, Frost & Pearlman, filed a lawsuit today on behalf of a man, John Doe 239, who was sexually abused by Father Daniel McCormack at St. Agatha parish in Chicago. The lawsuit names the Archdiocese of Chicago as the defendant and alleges the Archdiocese created a pub…

(St. Paul, MN) –  Ramsey County District Court Judge John H. Guthmann Tuesday ordered the Defendants in the Doe 30 lawsuit to produce all records pertaining to sexual abuse reported to have been committed by any priest before 1978. The secret documents will be produced to Doe 30 under seal as a result of a protective …

On January 21, 2015 a civil lawsuit was filed in Nassau County, New York on behalf of a young woman who alleges she was sexually abused by Father Gregory Yacyshyn when she was a young parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Greenlawn, New York. Defendants in the lawsuit include the Diocese of Rockville Centre and Father Gregory Yacyshyn. 

(St. Paul, MN) – At a hearing today, United States Bankruptcy Judge Robert J. Kressel ordered survivors, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, and the insurance companies, over objections from the insurance companies, to mediation for resolution of all current and future claims.  The mediation was ordered before Judge Arthur Boylan, a respected and former federal magistrate, now a professional mediator who was instrumental in settling the NFL dispute….

 Media AdvisoryJanuary 20, 2014Hearing Today on Public Nuisance Claim Involving the Diocese of New Ulm Survivors, advocates pursue transparency, disclosure from the only Minnesota diocese yet to disclose the identities of clerics accused of child sexual abuse(New Ulm, MN) – At a hearing today at 3:00PM in New Ulm at the Brown County Courthouse, attorneys will argue on behalf of sexual abuse survivors to allow public nuisance claims to move forward that were alleged in several lawsuits filed against the New Ulm Diocese. Five lawsuits have been filed on behalf of seven survivors a…

 News ReleaseJanuary 13, 2015Doe 29 Lawsuit Names Boy Scouts of America, Northern Star Council, River Hills United Methodist Church and Scoutmaster Peter StibalSystemic Failure of Boy Scouts, Council and Church to Act on Red Flags Regarding Stibal’s Danger to Boys; Perversion Files Demonstrate Their Knowledge of Risk(St. Paul, MN) –   A civil lawsuit was filed today in Ramsey County by a former Boy Scout who was sexually abused by his Scoutmaster, Peter Stibal. The lawsuit names Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Northern Star Council, River Hills United Methodist Church – the troop’s char…

On January 12, 2015, Marie Mielke (Doe 20), courageously came forward to publicly discuss her sexual abuse at the hands of Michael Keating and how top officials at the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis mishandled the case between 2006 and 2013. Keating’s once secret priest file was also released to the public. In it, internal church documents show how church officials, especially Father Kevin McDonough, chose to protect Keating over Marie and other survivors. Key documents from Keating’s file, the Amended Complaint, and other pertinent documents and statements are posted below. …

News ReleaseJanuary 8, 2015Trials Involving Notorious Priest Perpetrators Jerome Kern and Robert Thurner Set for January 26First clergy abuse cases to be tried under Child Victims Act(St. Paul, MN) – Two cases involving priests of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis will start trial on January 26, 2015.  These will be the first cases to go to trial under the Minnesota Child Victims Act.Doe 23 was sexually abused as a child by Robert Thurner.  Thurner abused a number of children in the Archdiocese and is listed on the Archdiocese’s website as having substantiated abuse al…

A civil lawsuit was served January 6, 2014 on behalf of a survivor who was sexually abused by Fr. James Thoennes, a priest of the Diocese of St. Cloud. The survivor, Doe 50, was an elementary school student at St. John’s in Foley, Minnesota in the early 1970s when he met Fr. Thoennes who was assigned there. The sexual abuse occurred at Thoennes’ mother’s home in Central Minnesota where he invited Doe 50 and at least 20 other children to accompany him on overnight visits.Notably, years before the abuse of Doe 50, Thoennes was busted by an official at the Diocese of St. Cloud and admitted he had…