MN--Secret records about abusive Duluth cleric are released
For immediate release: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016
Statement by Verne Wagner of Duluth, SNAP director Northern Minnesota (218-340-1277, [email protected])
More than 900 pages of long-secret records about a child molesting cleric who worked in Duluth have been released and are now on-line, because abuse victims insisted on the disclosure as part of a legal settlement. Duluth Catholic officials should tell parents, parishioners and the public about him and his crimes. Duluth parents and parishioners should read up about him and tell others about him. If he hurt even one child during his six years in northern Minnesota, we want that suffering person to know that he or she is not alone.
He’s Father Brennan Maiers. (His photo is at BishopAccountability.org) In the 1990s, he worked as a chaplain at three places in Duluth: St. Scholastica Monastery, St. Mary’s Medical Center and the Duluth Federal prison camp. He now lives at Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville.
In 1984, Fr. Maiers was arrested for soliciting an undercover officer at adult movie theater. In 1988, Fr. Maiers was first sued for abusing a nine year old in 1966. That suit settled out of court in 1992.
He also admitted to sexual relationships with a woman and two men in New York in 1970s. In 2002, he was permanently removed from ministry 2002. Fr. Maiers’ name appeared on lists of credibly accused child molesting clerics in two dioceses: St. Cloud diocese (in 2014) and St. Paul (in 2013).
The newly-disclosed records about Fr. Maiers are available at AndersonAdvocates.com and here: http://mntransparencyinitiative.com/
Duluth Bishop Paul Sirba should personally visit the parishes near where Fr. Maiers lived or worked (even temporarily), begging victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to come forward. He should also use parish bulletins, church websites and pulpit announcements across the entire diocese to seek out others who may have been assaulted and are still suffering. He should permanently post on his diocesan website- and parish websites - the names, photos and whereabouts of every child molesting Minnesota area cleric, whether alive or dead, diocesan or religious order, or admitted, proven or credibly accused.
We hope that every single person who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes or cover ups in Duluth will summon the strength to speak up. Kids are safer only when victims, witnesses and whistleblowers are courageous enough to act. Silence is tempting but it only helps wrongdoers.
It’s important that people with suspicions or knowledge of these crimes and cover ups call the independent professionals in law enforcement, not the biased amateurs in church positions.
NOTE – The attorneys involved in the records release are Jeff Anderson (651 227 9990 office, 612 817 8665 cell, [email protected]) and Mike Finnegan (651 227 9990 office, 612 205 5531 cell, [email protected]). The Minnesota church spokesman who’s responsible for information about Fr. Maiers is Brother Aelred Senna (320 363 2004, [email protected], 320 363 2085 phone, 320 363 3039 ([email protected]).
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected], [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Frank Meuers of Plymouth MN, SNAP director Southern Minnesota (952-334-5180, [email protected]), Verne Wagner of Duluth, SNAP director Northern Minnesota (218-340-1277, [email protected])
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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