Secret Archdiocese Documents on Former Priest Joseph Wajda Released Publicly Today
Documents Show How Bishop Carlson, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Gave Wajda Safe Harbor for Decades
(St. Paul, MN) – Secret priest file documents produced under court order by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis on former priest and accused child molester Joseph Wajda have been released publicly. The Archdiocese produced the documents as part of a civil lawsuit, Doe 1 vs. the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Diocese of Winona and Thomas Adamson. Adamson is a former priest who is alleged to have sexually abused Doe 1 in the 1970s.
The Wajda documents show how current Archbishop of St. Louis Robert Carlson, while serving in roles including chancellor and auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in the 1970s-1990s, along with other Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis officials, mishandled and minimized child sexual abuse allegations against Wajda. Their actions enabled Wajda to continue to serve as a priest, which put children in danger.
In addition, in 1981, Wajda reported to Carlson that Adamson was engaging in sexual misconduct with a youth, according to the documents.
A summary of the Wajda documents, a Wajda timeline, and several of the approximately 3,200 pages of Wajda documents released by the Archdiocese pursuant to the court order are available on our homepage under News and Events at www.andersonadvocates.com. The entire Wajda file produced by the Archdiocese is available upon request. The original Doe 1 complaint and additional information can be found on our website at www.andersonadvocates.com.