Twin Cities man sues diocese, alleges past abuse

Associated Press/April 26, 2006

St. Paul,MN -- A Twins Cities man is suing two diocese of the Roman Catholic church, alleging that he was abused by a priest at Risen Savior parish in Apple Valley during the 1980s, when he was an altar boy.

The 38-year-old alleged victim is not identified in the lawsuit filed in Ramsey County District Court by attorney Jeff Anderson of St. Paul.

The plaintiff claims that he didn't remember the sexual abuse by former priest Thomas Adamson until 2002, when there were widespread media reports of clergy abuse.

Anderson and the archdiocese said Adamson is believed to live near Eau Claire (Wiscoinsin). But he couldn't be reached for comment.

Seventy-two-year-old Adamson was removed from the priesthood in 1984 after several lawsuits revealed a long history of abuse during his 25 years as a priest.

Defendants in the new lawsuit are the Diocese of Winona, where Adamson worked from 1958 to 1974, and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, where he was transferred in 1975 after allegations of abuse surfaced.