Minnesota Diocese Names 4 Priests Accused of Child Sex Abuse

March 15, 2015
The Journal
   
NEW ULM - The Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota, USA, has released the names of four priests of the diocese who had been accused of child sex abuse.

In a statement placed on its web site, March 6, the diocese, which has been under pressure to release the full list of names suspected of sex abuse, listed four priests listed in 12 Notices of Claim alleging sexual abuse.

The four are Fr. Dennis Becker, who retired from active ministry in July 2000, and three other priests, all deceased - Dennis Roney, John Murpy and Michael Skoblik.

The statement lists the parishes where the alleged abuses took place, and the priests who were accused:

Church of the Holy Trinity, Winsted (Fr. Becker, 1964-1965).

Church of St. Francis, Benson (Fr. Roney, 1965-1967).

Church of St. Mary, Willmar (Fr. Roney, 1967-1968 and 1968-1970).

Church of St. Paul, Walnut Grove (Fr. Roney, 1959-1963 and 1960-1961).

Church of St. Joseph, Montevideo (Fr. Murphy, 1968).

Church of St. Catherine, Redwood Falls (Fr. Murphy, 1973-1974, 1974-1975, and 1978-1982).

Church of St. George (now the Church of St. Pius X), Glencoe (Fr. Skoblik, 1962-1965).

Church of St. Joseph (now the Church of the Holy Family), Silver Lake (Fr. Skoblik, 1964-1968).

City of New Ulm

The diocese, had identified 12 priests accused of sexual misconduct with children in a 2004 report to U.S. Catholic Bishops, according to St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson, who is pressuring the diocese to release all the names on the list. The New Ulm Diocese is the only diocese in the state that has not released all of its names.

The information was released without notification to news media. Parishioners in the diocese reportedly received the notice in their church bulletins.

Of the four priests, only Becker had not previously been named in lawsuits involving New Ulm or the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

According to the diocese's statement, "The diocese has been diligent in its efforts to establish a safe environment program that educates clergy, diocesan and parish staff, teachers, parents, students, and volunteers who work with minors, and helps them identify and prevent sexual misconduct. We are committed to offering help and healing to anyone who has been a victim of sexual misconduct and to preventing this terrible crime from occurring in the diocese."

If that were really true, they would name the remaining 8 pedophile priests. They are obviously still in the 'circle the wagons' mode.

Anyone who has suffered sexual abuse by a cleric of the Diocese of New Ulm should immediately report such misconduct to local law enforcement, according to the statement. They are encouraged to contact the Victim Assistance Coordinator or the Bishop's Delegate in Matters Pertaining to Sexual Misconduct, 1421 6th Street North, New Ulm, MN 56073, phone: 507-233-5313, for counseling or assistance.