MN - Another Twin Cities predator priest is sued

For immediate release: Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013

Statement by Bob Schwiderski, SNAP Minnesota director (952 471 3422, [email protected])

Another clergy sex abuse and cover up lawsuit has been filed against the Twin Cities archdiocese.

Over the past few weeks, at least seven proven, admitted and credibly accused Twin Cities sex offender clerics have been in the news:  Fr. Jon Shelley, Fr. Curtis Wehmeyer, Fr. Michael Keating, Fr. Rudolph Henrich, Fr. Robert Kapoun Fr. Mark Huberty and now, Fr. Robert Thurner.

Three of these men - Henrich, Huberty and Keating - were essentially “under the radar” until recently.

More predator priests, we suspect, will be exposed and sued - and hopefully prosecuted - in the weeks ahead, especially since Minnesota lawmakers reformed the statute of limitations, enabling more child sex abuse victims to step forward and seek justice.

In light of all this, Archbishop John Neinstedt’s recent and  self-serving half-steps and public relations moves seem even more paltry and ineffective now than they did even a week ago.

Fr. Thurner reportedly admitted molesting a child in 1982. That victim’s attorney said “the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis knew about the abuse after it first occurred” but let the priest stay at his parish and moved him to another parish “only after a second accusation six months later,” according to the Star Tribune.

Today’s lawsuit charges that after being transferred, Fr. Thurner molested again. If that proves true, it will again prove that archdiocesan officials do just the bare minimum – move or suspend a credibly accused child molesting cleric – while providing little or no supervision or monitoring (just like they are doing with Fr. Robert Kapoun, as disclosed earlier this month by Minnesota Public Radio).

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/catholic-church/2013/10/09/for-abusive-priest-retirement-income-came-with-a-premium/

Back in 1991, the Star Tribune reported that “Thurner retired suddenly from St. Therese Catholic Church in St. Paul,” on the day a child sex abuse and cover up suit was filed against him and archdiocesan officials.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/1991_12_05_McEnroe_PriestAllegedly_Robert_Thurner_1.htm

Fr. Thurner worked in St. Paul, West St. Paul, Bloomington, Hopkins, St. Louis Park and Prior Lake. His last known address: the Leo Byrne Residence, St. Paul, MN.

We hope every person – whether a current or former Catholic church member or staffer – will call police or prosecutors with every bit of knowledge or suspicions they may have about crimes by Fr. Thurner or cover ups by his church supervisors.

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]