Diocese confirms number of new sexual abuse claims

St. Cloud Times, Minnestoa/May 29, 2016

By Stephanie Dickrell

Bishop Donald Kettler asked for the prayers of area Catholics on Sunday as the Diocese of St. Cloud issued a statement confirming the number of sexual abuse claims made against it.

On Wednesday, May 25, a three-year window closed that temporarily lifted the civil statute of limitations on allegations of sexual abuse of minors in Minnesota.

A total of 74 claims were made against the diocese, according to the statement.

The statements name 31 members of the clergy who served in the diocese. Out of the 131 parishes in the diocese, 30 were named in the claims.

The diocese had been served with less than a dozen cases in the Child Victims Act window before Monday.

The claims are related to abuse alleged to have happened many years ago, according to the statement. In most cases, it was several decades ago.

The claims do not involve anyone who is currently in parish ministry, the diocese said.

The statement came with a list of clergy named in the suits. Many of the same names had been released in 2014 by the diocese when Kettler said a review of records showed "clergy identified, to date, who were likely involved in the sexual abuse of minors.” But some named in 2014 are not the subject of the lawsuits, and 11 clergy named in suits were not on the 2014 list.

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