Editor’s note: Below is a news release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona on 14 priests accused of sexual abuse, as well as details on each. For more on the Austin area priests, click here.

Disclosures Regarding Clergy Sexual Abuse of Minors

In 2002, the National Review Board commissioned the John Jay College of Criminal Justice to conduct a blind study to determine the nature and scope of child sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Each diocese in the United States was contacted by John Jay College and was required to report the number of priests within its diocese who had “credible” accusations of abuse.

The study required the report of any accusation that was not implausible (see definition below). This included allegations that did not necessarily result in a criminal, civil or diocesan investigation and allegations that were unsubstantiated.

The national study defined an implausible allegation as one that could not possibly have happened under the given circumstances (e.g., an accusation is made to a bishop about a priest who never served at that diocese). The study went on to say that erroneous information does not necessarily make the allegation implausible (e.g., a priest arrived at the diocese a year after the alleged abuse, but all other facts of the case are credible and the alleged victim might have mistaken the date). Allegations that were determined not to be “implausible” have since been referred to as “credible” accusations.

The methodology of the study encouraged over-reporting and the study specifically directed each diocese not to engage in the endeavor of weighing the credibility of any of the accusations out of concern that the data produced by the study would arguably be invalid because of subjective determinations as to the credibility of, or substantiation of, the allegation(s).

The national study concluded that approximately 4% of priests in ministry had accusations of abuse made against them. The study also found that the annual number of incidents of sexual abuse of minors by priests increased steadily to a peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s and then declined sharply after 1985.

The Ramsey County District Court has ordered that the Diocese of Winona publicly release the names associated with the John Jay College Study, as well any other priests who have had accusations of child sexual abuse since 2004. In compliance with that Order, the Diocese of Winona hereby releases the following names, ages, places of ministry, ministerial status and current location of each priest associated with the John Jay Study, as well as the same information of those who have been accused of perpetrating sexual abuse against a minor since 2002.

Thirteen John Jay Study Priests:

Thomas P. Adamson

Permanently removed from ministry in 1984; laicized 2009

Date of Birth: July 12, 1933

Date of Ordination: May 31, 1958

Assignments:

June 13, 1958 – Saint Casimir, Winona, MN

June 13, 1958 – Cotter High School, Winona, MN

June 16, 1961 – Saint Adrian, Adrian, MN

June 16, 1961 – Saint Adrian High School, Adrian, MN

August 16, 1962 – Lourdes High School, Rochester, MN

August 20, 1963 – Saint John’s, Caledonia, MN

November 30, 1964 – Lourdes High School, Rochester, MN

June 8, 1966 – Saint Clement, Hammond, MN

June 15, 1967 – Saint Theodore, Albert Lea, MN

August 14, 1968 – Saint Lawrence, Fountain, MN and Saint Kilian, Wykoff, MN

June 24, 1971 – Saint Francis of Assisi, Rochester, MN

June 17, 1976 – Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Paul Park, MN

1979 – Immaculate Conception Church, Columbia Heights, MN

Ministerial Status: Suspended from ministry in 1984 and laicized (2009)

Current Address: Rochester, MN

Sylvester F. Brown

Deceased 2010

Date of Birth: September 7, 1930

Date of Death: January 6, 2010

Date of Ordination: May 31, 1956

Assignments:

August 16, 1956 – Saint Mary School, Owatonna, MN

August 22, 1961 – State School, Owatonna, MN

June 17, 1963 – Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona, MN

June 17, 1963 – Saint Mary College, Winona, MN

June 8, 1966 – Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona, MN

August 14, 1969 – Saint Mary College, Winona, MN

July 1, 1971 – Saint Martin in Woodstock, Saint Mary, Lake Wilson, MN

July 11, 1974 – Saints Peter and Paul, Blue Earth, MN and Our Lady of Mercy, Guckeen, MN

July 7, 1981 – Pax Christi, Rochester, MN

June 30, 1989 – Immaculate Conception, Saint Clair, MN

November 1, 1989 – Saint Ann, Janesville, MN

November 18, 1992 – Saint Ann, Janesville, MN and Saint Clair, MN

June 28, 1995 – Saint Ann, Janesville, MN

July 1, 2000 – Saint Ann, Janesville , MN

December 31, 2007 – Saint Ann, Janesville, MN and Saint Joseph, Waldorf, MN

Ministerial Status: Deceased in 2010.

Joseph C. Cashman

Permanently removed from ministry in 1992; laicization pending in Canonical Tribunal.

Date of Birth: May 12, 1934

Date of Ordination: May 31, 1960

Assignments:

June 13, 1960 – Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona, MN

August 20, 1963 – Saint John, Rochester, MN

August 20, 1963 – Lourdes High School, Rochester, MN

July 1, 1967 – Loyola High School, Mankato, MN

July 1, 1967 – Saint Joseph, Good Thunder, MN

June 24, 1970 – Lourdes High School, Rochester, MN

June 24, 1970 – Saint Margaret, Mantorville, MN

July 1, 1977 – Saint John the Baptist, Mankato, MN

July 2, 1985 – Saint Mary, Caledonia, MN

Ministerial Status: Ministerial privileges suspended September, 1992; laicization pending in Canonical Tribunal.

Current Address: Dallas, TX

Louis G. Cook

Deceased 2004

Date of Birth: July 14, 1924

Date of Death: November 26, 2004

Date of Ordination: May 31, 1958

Assignments:

June 9, 1958 – Saint Mary’s, Winona, MN

June 19, 1962 – Saint John Vianney, Fairmont, MN

June 8, 1966 – Mater Dolorosa, Delavan, MN and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Easton, MN

August 1, 1969 – College of Saint Teresa, Winona, MN

June 24, 1970 – Queen of Angels, Austin, MN

October 15, 1970 – Holy Trinity, Litomysl, MN

July 22, 1976 – Crucifixion, LaCrescent, MN

July 9, 1982 – Holy Trinity, Rollingstone, MN and Immaculate Conception, Oak Ridge, MN

June 29, 1990 – Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Charles, MN and Saint Aloysius, Elba, MN

June 29, 1996 – Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Charles, MN and Saint Aloysius, Elba, MN

March 13, 2000 – Saint Augustine, Austin, MN

Ministerial Status: Deceased in 2004.

William D. Curtis

Deceased 2001

Date of Birth: August 31, 1919

Date of Death: April 10, 2001

Date of Ordination: May 3, 1947

Assignments:

September 1, 1947 – Saint Thomas Pro Cathedral, Winona, MN

September 1, 1947 – Newman Center, Winona, MN

September 1, 1950 – Saint John, Rochester, MN

August 5, 1952 – May 15, 1953 – Saint Lawrence O’Toole, Fountain, MN & Saint Kilian, Wykoff, MN

April 2, 1956 – Saint Lawrence O’Toole, Fountain, MN and Saint Kilian, Wykoff, MN

October 30, 1958 – Saint Joseph, Jasper, MN

July 28, 1965 – Saint Peter, Hokah, MN

March 15, 1966 – Sacred Heart, Brewster, MN

March 15, 1966 – Worthington Junior College, Worthington, MN

August 21, 1968 – Saint Theodore, Albert Lea, MN

January 28, 1976 – Saint Teresa, Mapleton, MN

June 28, 1984 – Saint Joseph, Good Thunder, MN

Ministerial Status: Ministerial privileges suspended July, 1990.

John R. Feiten

Deceased 2001

Date of Birth April 23, 1924

Date of Death: July 9, 2001

Date of Ordination: June 6, 1948

Assignments:

1948-1950 – Saint John, Rochester, MN

September 1950 – Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona, MN

November 4, 1957- June 16, 1967 – Precious Blood, LaMoille, MN

June 28, 1973 – Saint Peter, Hokah, MN

July 11, 1974 – Saint Pius X, Rochester, MN

August 18, 1982 – Saint Felix, Wabasha, MN

March 1, 1983 – Immaculate Conception, Kellogg, MN and Saint Joseph, Theilman, MN

October 1, 1988 – Immaculate Conception, Kellogg, MN and Saint Joseph, Theilman, MN.

December 1, 1988 – Saint Elizabeth Hospital, Wabasha, MN

June 29, 1990 – Sacred Heart, Hayfield, MN

June 29, 1994 – Saint Anne Hospice, Winona, MN

Ministerial Status: Retired from active ministry June, 2000.

Richard H. Hatch

Deceased 2005

Date of Birth: October 28, 1927

Date of Death: October 15, 2005

Date of Ordination: June 6, 1954

Assignments:

June 23, 1954 – Saint John Vianney, Fairmont, MN

June 21, 1957 – Saint Leo, Pipestone, MN

August 30, 1960 – Saint James, Saint James, MN

June 19, 1962 – Saint Mary, Winona, MN

Ministerial Status: Voluntarily ceased ministerial duties and permanently left Diocese of Winona in the 1960’s.

Ferdinand L. Kaiser

Deceased 1973

Date of Birth: July 18, 1910

Date of Death: January 3, 1973

Date of Ordination: June 5, 1937

Assignments:

July 8, 1937 – Saint Agnes, Kellogg, MN

March 2, 1938 -1941 – Saint Felix, Wabasha, MN

October 1941 – Saint John, Caledonia, MN

June 9, 1943 -1944 – Saints Peter and Paul, Blue Earth, MN

November 22, 1944 – Saint Mary, Geneva, MN and Assumption, Canton, MN

July, 1946 – Nativity of Blessed Virgin, Harmony, MN and Saint Mary, Preble, MN

December 3, 1952 – All Saints, New Richland, MN

April 15, 1967 – March 15, 1968 – Saint Jarlath, Iosco, MN

Ministerial Status: Voluntary resignation in March, 1968.

Jack L. Krough

Permanently removed from ministry in 2002; laicization pending in Canonical Tribunal.

Date of Birth: August 11, 1949

Date of Ordination: May 21, 1976

Assignments:

June 11, 1976 – Saint Augustine, Austin, MN

June 11, 1976 – Pacelli High School, Austin, MN

June 23, 1980 – Cotter High School, Winona

July 2, 1985 – Saint Pius X, Rochester, MN

July 2, 1985 – Lourdes High School, Rochester, MN

June 29, 1990 – All Saints in New Richland, MN and Saint Joseph, Waldorf, MN

July 1, 1996 – Saint Edward, Austin, MN and Our Lady of Loretto, Brownsdale, MN

April 17, 1998 – Saint Francis of Assisi at Assisi Heights, Rochester, MN

Ministerial Status: Ministerial privileges suspended in June of 2002 indefinitely; laicization pending in Tribunal.

Current Address: Barron, WI

Michael J. Kuisle

Deceased 1971

Date of Birth: June 25, 1916

Date of Death: December 21, 1971

Date of Ordination: June 2, 1940

Assignments:

1940 – 1943 – Saint Mary’s – Winona, MN

June 9, 1943 – Saint Francis, Rochester, MN

June 26, 1947 – Saint Joseph, Rushford, MN; also St. Mary’s, Houston and St. Patrick, Ridgeway, MN

July 15, 1954 – Saint Francis de Sales, Claremont, MN and West Concord, MN

July 26, 1956 – Saint Peter’s Church, Hokah, MN

July 28, 1965 – Church of the Crucifixion, La Crescent, MN

August 13, 1970 – Saint Bernard’s Church, Stewartville, MN

Ministerial Status: Voluntary resignation in September, 1971.

James W. Lennon

Deceased 2000

Date of Birth: December 23, 1939

Date of Death: August 8, 2000

Date of Ordination: May 27, 1965

Assignments:

July 15, 1965 – Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona, MN

June 16, 1968 – Resurrection, Rochester, MN

June 29, 1972 – Saint Stanislaus, Winona, MN

June 29, 1972 – Cotter High School, Winona, MN

June 11, 1976 – Saint Mary, Minneiska, MN

December 1, 1976 – Saint Aloysius, Elba, MN

June 9, 1977 – Saint Anthony, Altura, MN and Saint Aloysius, Elba, MN

December 1, 1977 – Sacred Heart, Heron Lake, MN

June 15, 1978 – Saint James, Saint James, MN

June 23, 1983 – Saint Joachim, Plainview, MN

Ministerial Status: Voluntarily left active ministry in June, 1984.

Leland J. Smith

Permanently removed from ministry in 1994; laicization pending in Canonical Tribunal

Date of Birth: July 11, 1927

Date of Ordination: May 30, 1953

Assignments:

June 12, 1953 – Saints Peter and Paul, Blue Earth, MN

December 31, 1954 – Saint John, Rochester, MN

August 17, 1955 – Saint Wenceslaus, Jackson, MN

August 30, 1960 – Saint Casimir, Wells, MN

July 3, 1963 – Saint Rose of Lima, Avoca, MN and Saint Mary, Lake Wilson, MN

August 16, 1967 – Holy Trinity, Rollingstone, MN

August 16, 1967 – Immaculate Conception of Mary, Oak Ridge, MN

July 15, 1975 – Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Charles, MN

June 23, 1983 – Saint Joseph, Rushford, MN and Saint Mary, Houston, MN

July 3, 1987 – Immaculate Conception, Wilson, MN

June 30, 1989 – Saint Joachim, Plainview, MN and Immaculate Conception, Kellogg, MN

July 1, 1991 – Saint Agnes, Kellogg, MN

Ministerial Status: Ministerial privileges indefinitely suspended since 1994. Laicization pending in Canonical Tribunal.

Current Address: Winona, MN

Robert H. Taylor

Deceased 2012

Date of Birth: June 13, 1930

Date of Death: May 10, 2012

Date of Ordination: December 16, 1956

Assignments:

August 13, 1957 – Saint John, Rochester, MN

August 30, 1960 – Saint Stanislaus, Winona, MN

August 30, 1960 – Cotter High School, Winona, MN

June 16, 1961 – Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona, MN

February, 1961 – Saint Mary’s College, Winona, MN

October 25, 1969 – Holy Cross, Dakota, MN

August 20, 1970 – Holy Cross, Dakota, MN and Precious Blood, LaMoille, MN

August 18, 1982 – Saint Pius X, Rochester, MN

October 4, 1984 – Saint Mary, Madelia, MN

June 5, 1985 – Holy Family, Lake Crystal, MN

August 1, 1985 – Saint Katherine, Truman, MN

August 16, 1990 – Saint Leo, Pipestone, MN and Saint Martin, Woodstock, MN

Ministerial Status: Suspended from ministry in February, 1995.

Priests Accused of Abuse after 2004

Leo Charles Koppala

Administrative leave pending outcome of criminal proceedings in Faribault County, MN  

Date of Birth: April 19, 1966

Date of Ordination: April 29, 1994

Assignments:

September 28, 2008 – Entered this diocese from the Diocese of Nellore in India

October 2008 – Resurrection, Rochester, MN

August 1, 2009 – Saints Peter and Paul, Blue Earth, MN and Saint Mary, Winnebago, MN

Status: Placed on administrative leave in June, 2013 by Bishop Quinn pending outcome of criminal proceedings in Faribault County, MN.