Diocese of St. Cloud releases list of accused clergy

KARE 11 NBC News, Minnesota/January 3, 2014

St. Cloud, Minnesota -- The Diocese of St. Cloud released its list of clergy accused of sexual abuse against minors on Friday afternoon.

The list includes 33 priests, 21 of which are dead.

St. Cloud Bishop Donald J. Kettler said in the release that, "It is my hope that the release of these names will provide validation to those victims who have been sexually abused and have already come forward. I pray it will also give strength to those who have remained silent and allow them to come forward."

The list includes Diocesan priests as well as clergy who are members of religious communities who served in parishes in the Diocese.

Additionally on this list are the names of several men who served in schools within the Diocese of St. Cloud.

The Diocese of St. Cloud also released this statement on Friday.

"If someone has sexually abused you or exploited you, and you feel that the time is right to come forward, there are professionals you can talk to about your experience. They can assist you in getting the help you need. You do not have to face or name your abuser. You don't have to give any information you are not comfortable disclosing. It does not matter how long ago the abuse was. Assistance is available to you."

Lists of names were released in December by the Minneapolis-St. Paul archdiocese, Winona and Duluth dioceses, and by St. John's Abbey.

KARE 11 is only naming accused clergy members who were deceased or named in a lawsuit alleging abuse. Below is a list that meets that criteria.

    Robert Blumeyer (Deceased)
    Cosmose Dalheimer (Deceased)
    John Eccleston (Deceased)
    Sylvester Gall (Deceased)
    William Garding (Deceased)
    Raoul Gauthier (Deceased)
    Stanislaus Goryczka (Deceased)
    Othmar Hohmann (Deceased)
    Raymond Jacques (Deceased)
    Val Klimek (Deceased)
    Joseph Kremer (Deceased)
    Richard Kujawa (Deceased)
    Henry Lutgen (Deceased)
    James Mohm (Deceased)
    Donald Rieder (Deceased)
    Robert Smith (Deceased)
    Peter Snyers (Deceased)
    Allan Speiser (Deceased)
    William Wey (Deceased)
    Vincent Yzermanns (Deceased)
    Francis Zilkowski (Deceased)
    Richard Eckroth
    Francis Hoefgen
    Francis Schulte
    James Thoennes
    Roger Vaughn
    Michael Weber

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