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The Diocese of Crookston released a list today of  6 priests accused of sexually abusing minors.  They also disclosed 5 more with ties to the area.  The release comes several monthes after a lawsuit was filed seeking the release of information.  That case had included motions concerning the list release.    These lists have been hidden until now.  Monsignor David Baumgartner, vicar general of the Crookston Diocese, emailed the list Friday to the Grand Forks Herald.

The list of 6 credibly accused priests includes:

James Porter, who admitted abusing children in five states. Porter served as pastor of St. Bernard’s church in Bemidji from 1969 to ’70 and was a key figure in the Boston clergy abuse scandal. He died in 2005.

Date of Birth: January 2, 1935

Date of Ordination: April 2,1960

Assignments in the Diocese of Crookston:

Asst. Pastor: St. Philip, Bemidji 1969-70

Diocese or religious order: Diocese of Fall River, MA

Current Status:Deceased February 11, 2005

 

. Rev. Joseph Jeyapaul, is facing extradition from his home in India to face charges that he sexually assaulted two teenage girls while he worked in the Crookston diocese between 2004 and 2005.

Date of Birth: January 20, 1955

Date of Ordination: May 19, 1982

Assignments in the Diocese of Crookston:

Priest in residence:St.Bernard, Thief River Falls 2004

Administrator: Blessed Sacrament, Greenbush, St. Joseph, Middle River, St. Edward,Karlstad 2004-2005

Diocese or religious order: Diocese of Ootacamund, India

Date removed from ministry:September 15,2005

Current Location:Diocese of Ootacamund, India

Current Status:unknown

 

•  Rev. Stanley Bourassa, ordained in 1955, who served parishes in Red Lake Falls, Crookston, Bemidji, East Grand Forks, St. Lawrence, Barnsville and Sabin. He died in 2004.

Date of Birth: April 13, 1929

Date of Ordination: June 4, 1955

Assignments in the Diocese of Crookston:

Asst. Pastor: St. Joseph, Red Lake Falls 1955-1957

Asst. Pastor: St. Anne, Crookston 1957-1961

Asst. Pastor: St. Philip, Bemidji 1961-1962

Asst. Pastor: Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks 1962-1969

Pastor: St. Mary, Fosston, St. Lawrence, Mentor 1969-1977

Pastor: Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks 1977-1981

Pastor: St. Bernard, Thief River Falls, St. Ann, Goodridge , St. Clement, Grygla 1981-1991

Pastor: Assumption, Barnesville, St. Cecilia, Sabin 1991-1999

Retired:July 1, 1999

Diocese of religious order: Diocese of Crookston

Current Status:Deceased August 11, 2004

 

•  Rev. Henry Carriere, ordained in 1946, who served parishes in Crookston, Fertile, Bemidji, Argyle, Guthrie, Laporte, Brooks, Plummer, Terrebone, Argyle and Badger. He died in 2003.

Date of Birth: May 9, 1920

Date of Ordination: June 16, 1946

Assignments in the Diocese of Crookston:

Asst. Pastor: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston 1946

Asst. Pastor: St. Joseph, Fertile 1946-1948

Asst. Pastor: St. Philip, Bemidji 1948-1950

Asst. Pastor: St. Rose of Lima, Argyle, 1950-1952

Administrator: St. Lawrence, Guthrie, St. Theodore, Laporte 1952-1955

Chaplain: St. Joseph Hospital, Park Rapids 1952-1955

Pastor: St.Joseph, Brooks 1955-1972

Pastor: St.Vincent de Paul, Plummer 1965-1969

Pastor: St.Anthony, Terrebonne 1969-1972

Pastor:St. Rose of Lima,Argyle 1972-1982

Pastor: Sacred Heart, Roseau, St. Mary, Badger 1982-1990

Retired July 2, 1990

Diocese or religious order: Diocese of Crookston

Date removed from ministry:June 19, 2002

Current Status:

Deceased November 3, 2003

 

• Rev. Vincent Fitzgerald, ordained in 1950. He worked at parishes in Kelliher, Shooks, Naytahwaush, Big Elbow Lake and White Earth. He died in 2009.

Date of Birth: December 8, 1919

Date of Ordination: May 27, 1950

Assignments in the Diocese of Crookston:

Asst. Pastor: St. Patrick, Kelliher, St. Joseph, Shooks 1973-1974

Pastor: St. Anne, Naytahwaush, St. Frances Cabrini, Big Elbow Lake, St. Benedict, White Earth 1983-1986

Diocese or religious order: Order of Mary Immaculate

Current Status:Deceased September 27, 2009

 

Rev. Francis Reid, ordained in 1964, who served in churches in Crookston, Bemidji, Argyle, Thief River Falls, Waubun, Akeley, Nevis, Ponsford, Mahnomen, Park Rapids, Two Inlets and Lake Itasca. He was removed from the ministry in 1992 and died in 2007.

Date of Birth: June 10,1922

Date of Ordination: May 23, 1964

Assignments in the Diocese of Crookston:

Asst. Pastor: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston 1964-1965

Asst. Pastor: St. Philip’s, Bemidji 1965-1966

Asst.Pastor: St. Rose of Lima, Argyle 1966-1968

Asst. Pastor: St. Bernard’s, Thief River Falls 1968-1971

Administrator: St. Ann, Waubun 1971

Pastor: St. John’s, Akeley, Immaculate Conception, Nevis, St. Theodore, Ponsford 1971-1977

Pastor: St. Michael, Mahnomen 1977-1980

Pastor: St. Peter the Apostle, Park Rapids 1980-1990

Pastor: St. Mary, Two Inlets, St. Theodore, Ponsford, St. Catherine, Lake Itasca 1990-1992

Retired: July 1, 1992

Diocese of Religious Order: Diocese of Crookston

Date removed from ministry:July 1, 1992

Current Status:Deceased April 15, 2007

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The names are now disclosed, there are more lists that exist in Minnesota, and there are many more names to find.

Abuse of children and the continued silence by the offenders needs to be prevented. If you suffered, saw, or suspected such events, it is important to know that there is help out there.

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