Mel, the prior, an Irishman, took us to the casino to gamble last night. En route he talked re: the missionary activities of the monks. Each weekend 4 or 5 of them fly to the outlying islands of Exuma, Eleuthera, San Salvador, etc., to celebrate liturgy. Some fly in the monastery’s private plane (Bro. Barry Gearman, pilot), others on the Bahamian airline.

Steve asked Mel if this is relaxing. He said no, quite strenuous, because there’s a Saturday evening Mass, then there are Sunday ones, and there’s often the need to pick up or carry people here and there.

What strikes me is the ecclesiological underpinning—the underpinning of ecclesiological assumptions—on which all this depends. Why should a church assume the necessity of a community of North American missionaries (themselves kept viable by infusions from St. John’s) to wear themselves out traveling all over the vicinity on weekends celebrating the liturgy, when surely there would be someone in the local churches (i.e., at the parish level) capable of doing so?

This is a church stuck permanently in the missionary phase, unable to indigenize, not so much because of a dearth of talent (“native vocations”), as because the ecclesiology mandated from/by Rome cannot conceive of empowering local churches via the ordination of those called in the church, but not susceptible to formation in the traditional seminary pattern.

In this sense, then, the problems of the missionary church are also those of long-established churches, such as that of the U.S. These problems have perhaps been thought about more acutely in the missionary setting (e.g., by Vincent Donovan), probably because the disparity, the injustice of “denying” ordination to “natives,” is so glaring here. But they are our problems, too, in the sense that we can’t see how graced married men, openly and actively gay men in committed relationships, and women are—called, gifted for a church that is unable, or better, unwilling, to avail itself of their talents.

So much is staked on a system of seminary formation, and a particular historical view of ministry, that has outlived its usefulness. And so much is so invested, because the church wants power to be centralized, “orderly,” ultimately, in imperial mode.

Nassau, Bahamas 24.5.1993
Flying Priests and African Deacons

Source: http://neverinparadise.blogspot.com/…

Prior of St. Augustine’s Monastery in Nassau, Bahamas, since 1997, Father Daniel Ward has accepted new tasks as Associate Director of the Legal Resource Center for Religious in Silver Spring, Maryland. He took this office on 6 December.

The center is sponsored by the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Leadership Council of Women Religious, and the National Association of Treasurers of Religious Institutes.

Father Daniel’s new duties will include handling of tax issues concerning religious communities in the US, publishing a newsletter on legal issues affecting religious communities and planning annual seminars for religious superiors and their attorneys.

Among his credits while prior of St. Augustine’s, Father Daniel saw the completion of remodeling of the monastic dining room, summer chapel and private monastic rooms; revitalization of the spiritual life program for Benedictine Oblates of the Bahamas with monthly meetings, Bible study classes and retreats at the monastery; establishment of employee policies for administrators, faculty and staff of St. Augustine’s College; the beginning of computerization of the monastery and the school.

Replacing him as prior is a former prior of the monastery, Father Mel Taylor, who has been doing missionary work in the out-islands for several years.

(Saint John’s Abbey Quarterly – Fall, 1999)

There was an extra stillness in the air recently as Father Mel Taylor looked over the picturesque grounds of the Monastery of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, which closed after 114 years of existence.

It’s the end of an era and devoted service by the Benedictine monks of St. Johns Abbey, Minnesota.

“It’s the closing of an era because we were also involved with the school,” said Father Mel.

“We’ve worked here and lived here for a long time,” he added.

It was February 2nd, 1891 that Father Chrysostom Schreiner, Order of Saint Benedict (OSB), the first Benedictine monk of Saint John’s Abbey, came to work in The Bahamas.

Father Mel is one of two remaining monks, including Father George Wolf. They are reportedly leaving due to their age and the decrease of monks who are entering the service.

There was a mass of thanksgiving at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Wednesday evening and on Thursday, the monastery official closed.

On Friday, the gates to the Monastic Chapel were closed. All was still inside, opposed to the few who would come throughout the day to pray and reflect in quiet solitude.

“People would come everyday. On Sunday, there are quite a few and weekdays, a few,” Father Mel recalled.

Originally from Ireland, Father Mel was assigned to the St. Augustine’s Monastery in 1980. For 25 years, he came to love the people and beauty of The Bahamas. He became prior of the monastery in 2000.

As the 70-year-old walked a short distance through the monastery he takes a look through its gates, marveling at the flora.

“There’s the African Tulip and the Golden Shower. They all bloom at certain times of the year. It’s a beautiful place,” he said.

Father Mel noted that the buildings were designed to maintain the hill.

“Hills are often being bulldozed (but) the architect designed the buildings to sit on the hill,” he stated.

It was on that hill in 1946 when the monastery was established. Saint Augustine’s College established the year before, was moved to the new site in 1947.

The school was founded by the Very Revered Frederic Frey, OSB, the then Prior of the Monastery and was the school’s first headmaster from 1945 until 1963.

The monastery building was completed and occupied in 1947, built largely through the efforts of the priests and brothers of the community. The Monastery and the original college complex which dominate the entire campus from the hilltop were designed by the famous “hermit of Cat Island,” Monsignor John Hawes, also known as “Fra Jerome.”

Questioned as to what he will miss most about The Bahamas, Father Taylor said, “the people, the sea, the sand, the shrubs, trees, plants and this hill.”

By HADASSAH HALL

http://www.thenassauguardian.com/religion/298523528323020.php

The end of an era; Monastery closes after 114 years

The U.S. Embassy issued the following press release:

On January 18th,. U.S. Ambassador John Rood hosted a reception at his residence for Bahamian alumni of St. John’s University in Minnesota. Because of the close relations between St. John’s and St. Augustine’s College in Nassau, Bahamians have been attending this Midwestern institution since 1932, claiming such graduates as Eugene Dupuch, Arthur Barnett, Leviticus Adderley, Andrew Curry, Monsignor Preston Moss, and at least 250 others in recent times.

Other guests in Nassau for the occasion included Steve Halverson, Director of the Board of Regents of St. John’s, Prince Wallace, the first Bahamian on the Board of Regents, Brother Benedict Leuthner, Treasurer of the University, Fr. Finian McDonald and Fr. Mel Taylor, Prior of St. Augustine’s.

More than 50 Bahamian alumni attended the event and pledged their commitment to the establishment of the “Leviticus Adderley Scholarship Fund”. This Fund will ensure that Bahamians will continue to attend St. John’s and maintain the legacy of this outstanding Bahamian graduate who has contributed so much to both St. John’s and St. Augustine’s College. Basil Christie, a graduate of both institutions was elected president of the SJU Alumni Association with the responsibility of registering all graduates from 1932 to 2006 and soliciting their support for the Scholarship Fund.

Earlier that day Ambassador Rood hosted a luncheon at his residence for the special guests and Archbishop Patrick Pinder. Ambassador Rood acknowledged the valuable role the Benedictine Monks of St. John’s played in the development of The Bahamas since their arrival in the 1890’s and expressed his pride in being able to contribute to the continuance of this strong educational relationship between the United States and The Bahamas by bringing together the Bahamian alumni of the American educational institutional. The Ambassador thanked Steve Halverson for initiating the event and encouraged the alumni to continue to support of the relationship between St. Johns and The Bahamas.

Archbishop Pinder congratulated the Ambassador for his generosity in hosting these events and supporting this educational partnership, noting that this reflected the interest and concern he has shown for the Bahamian community and for education in particular during his tenure as United States Ambassador to The Bahamas.

Caption: The photo taken at the reception shows from left front row: Steve Halverson; Brother Benedict Leuthner; Ambassador Rood; Senator Philip Galanis and Basil Christie:

Back row: Creswell Sturrup, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science & Technology; Pierre Dupuch, MP for St. Margaret; Prince Wallace and Fr. Finian McDonald.

Ambassador Rood hosts St. John’s University Alumni
January 26, 2007

Link: http://nassau.usembassy.gov/pr_26012007.html

*** May 12, 2002:

“Klassen said the Rev. Finian McDonald will not be allowed to travel this year to the Bahamas, where he has regularly spent several months each year at the abbey’s mission. McDonald ‘probably won’t’ go there ever again, the abbot added.”

Link: http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/?p=349

*** January 26, 2007

Other guests in Nassau for the occasion included Steve Halverson, Director of the Board of Regents of St. John’s, Prince Wallace, the first Bahamian on the Board of Regents, Brother Benedict Leuthner, Treasurer of the University, Fr. Finian McDonald and Fr. Mel Taylor, Prior of St. Augustine’s.

Link: http://nassau.usembassy.gov/pr_26012007.html

Today (November 10, 2009) marks the seven year anniversary of Joshua Guimond’s disappearance from the St. John’s University campus in Collegeville, Minnesota.

There are still more questions than answers. In the absence of answers, even more questions are being asked.

Most people are aware that the disappearance of Joshua Guimond is similar to other cases involving missing college students across the country. There are also dissimilarities.

On Saturday (November 7, 2009), a “Justice for Josh” march took place near the St. John’s University campus. The family was supported by more than two dozen participants. The group marched along the county road near campus and up to the building where Joshua was playing cards before he disappeared.

The night before, a meeting regarding Joshua Guimond took place in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Attending were people with background in law enforcement, profiling, psychology, criminal law, abuse, advocacy and investigation. The group’s goal was to review all of the facts, look at Joshua’s case on its own merits, and consider all possible scenarios.

At the end of the night, the possibility that someone who worked or lived on the St. John’s University campus was involved in Joshua Guimond’s disappearance was not ruled out.

There were sex offenders who were on campus, and known to the public, who weren’t properly investigated in the disappearance of Joshua Guimond. There were also offenders on campus, whose names were not known to the public, who weren’t properly investigated either.

The University and Abbey have rarely been proactive in announcing the name of an offending employee. When they do announce the name, the nature of the employee’s inappropriate behavior is usually understated or lied about.

Brother Isaac Connolly and Father Bruce Wollmering are great examples of the deceptive tactics used by the University and Abbey.

Brother Isaac Connolly

On October 2, 2002 the St. Cloud Times reported that a settlement agreement between St. John’s and several victims had been reached. Three days later, and one month before Joshua Guimond disappeared, another article appeared in the St. Cloud Times.

This October 5, 2002 article was about Brother Isaac Connolly taking a leave for “conduct concerns”. According to Abbey spokesperson William Skudlarek there was one allegation, that “Connolly’s conduct does not fall under any legal definition of sexual abuse”, that “the allegation does not involve a student”, and that Abbot John Klassen didn’t know about the allegation until the spring of 2002.

Four separate lies by the University and Abbey. They almost got away with it.

Brother Isaac Connolly was accused of two separate incidents of misconduct with students at SJU. After supplying alcohol, Connolly took a nude shower with a male student. In a separate instance, Connolly attempted to sodomize a male student after several years of grooming.

Connolly had plenty of student contact at both the Prep School and University between 1975 and 2002. According to St. John’s University spokesman Michael Hemmesch, “Connolly is one of the most visible monks to university students”.

Connolly worked in the SJU residence halls until the first incident occurred in 1979. Connolly was then sent to Japan for several years. He returned to work at the Prep School in 1986.

When the Abbey learned of an allegation against Connolly in 2000, he went to St. Luke’s for therapy. But Connolly remained on staff until he was removed in 2002 when threats to go public with the second incident were made.

In May of 2002, Stearns County Sheriff Jim Kostreba met with the Abbot to ask to review the records as part of investigations into two unsolved cases. It is believed that Brother Isaac Connolly was not part of that May of 2002 record review, even though the Abbey and Abbot Klassen knew of his past. Connolly was not fully investigated when Guimond disappeared either.

Father Bruce Wollmering

Another example of the Abbey’s deceptive tactics involves Father Bruce Wollmering, the former chair of the St. John’s University Psychology Department. Wollmering began molesting students in the 1960’s. In 2001, Wollmering confessed to one of his 1980′s victims that he was “in love” with a student on campus. In 2003, Wollmering was reported to the University and Abbey for sexual harassment. He was allowed to keep teaching, however, until the end of the 2002-2003 school year when he agreed (as part of a settlement?) to step down from his teaching and counselor duties. He resigned with dignity the next year.

The University and Abbey managed to keep Wollmering’s behavior (and his numerous inappropriate relationships) quiet until 2006. The Abbot has admitted that one reason for delaying the release of Wollmering’s name was the effect it might have on the University’s capital campaign. The Abbot convinced almost every member of his settlement-created External Review Board (members at the time included Kate Lally, Tom Frost, David Baraga, Susan Fuchs-Hoeschen, Father Dale Launderville, David Farrington, Barbara Illsley, and Charles Flinn) that delaying the announcement was the right call. Pat Marker resigned in protest of the Abbot’s deception and the Board’s participation in the coverup.

Father Wollmering is believed to have had at least twelve known inappropriate relationships as a priest, counselor and professor. The ages of the known victims ranged from 14 to 23 and older. A conservative estimate on the number of actual victims is likely over fifty. Experts in the area of abuse would assert that the number is closer to 120.

When Wollmering died in February of 2009, his room in the monastery was reportedly sealed for two days and searched by the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Department has not released their findings. On Saturday, the Guimond family requested that the Sheriff’s Department’s findings be made public. Time will tell if they do the right thing.

More Questions

What role (directly or indirectly) did Brother Isaac Connolly, Father Bruce Wollmering or other offenders in Collegeville have in Joshua Guimond’s disappearance? Did the fact that Collegeville is known to house sexual and other perpetrators have a role? What other information is being withheld by University and Abbey officials because of the damage it could cause?

Victims and their families are waiting for that information. They are also waiting for the lies (either by deception and omission) to stop.

Only when the St. John’s community puts truth and safety before secrecy and money will true progress and healing begin. The community’s continued desire to deceive, rather than fully disclose, means that we’ll hear the same stories (with different victims) repeated every few years.

We are about to enter that cycle again. The last time was just after the Wollmering disclosure. The time before that was just before Joshua Guimond disappeared.

What did Joshua think about abuse on campus? We don’t know. Yet.

The day after the October 2, 2002 St. Cloud Times’ article about the settlement agreement between St. John’s and several victims, Joshua Guimond performed an Internet search on “St. John’s Abbey” “Statute of Limitations” and “Conspiracy” even though the St. Cloud Times article didn’t mention the statute or anything about a conspiracy.

What Joshua Guimond looking for? We don’t know. Yet.

We do know that many files on Joshua’s hard drive were deleted in the days after he disappeared. Seven years later, the files are slowly being recovered.

A recent search of Joshua’s hard drive includes a cached copy of an October 22, 2002 Star Tribune article “St. John’s launches ad campaign to counter image woes”. The story was dated, and was accessed by Joshua, two weeks before he disappeared.

The article begins… “After a season of bad news about sexual abuse by some monks at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minn., the monastery’s university has launched a series of ads intended to offer a positive view of the school.” And continues… “But there’s no question that another reason for the ad is because of the sexual-abuse issue.”

What did Joshua Guimond think about the Abbey’s hypocrisy? We don’t know. Yet.

There is no debating that the Abbey, the Abbot and many members of the monastic community have committed inappropriate and illegal acts. Abbey officials have been willing to say nothing or when asked, deceive as necessary. They are still doing it.

On Saturday, the Guimond family requested a list of names of personnel on campus who have had assault allegations made against them. Each one should be questioned.

Certainly, every known monk offender should be questioned before they meet an untimely death (like Father Bruce Wollmering), leave the monastery (like Brother Jim Phillips, Brother John Kelly and others) or are allowed to travel the world unrestricted (like Father Francisco Schulte).

The process of elimination should have started seven years ago. Until all suspects are eliminated, the possibility remains that one or more was involved in the disappearance of Joshua Guimond.

Which one or how many? We just don’t know. Yet.

But let’s not be afraid to ask the questions and expect honest answers.

When reviewed in the early 1990s, the Abbot’s File on Fr. Dunstan Moorse contained 81 items between July, 1972 and April, 1990.

1972-1978: 58 Items in 7 years (8.3 items per year)
1979-1983: 0 Items in 4 years (0.0 items per year)
1984-1990: 23 Items in 7 years (3.3 items per year)

By year: 6, 3, 6, 12, 9, 12, 10, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4, 3, 6, 3, 1, 5, 1

What happened between 1979 and 1983?

One of the last documents in the Abbot’s File is a letter from Michael Naughton, OSB. Naughton wrote that, “there was fairly general agreement that teenagers posed the most difficulties in Dunstan’s pastoral relationships”. (Deacon Evaluation, Spring of 1978)

Eighteen or more allegations of misconduct have been made against Dunstan Moorse. In 1979, Moorse had an inappropriate sexual conversation with a freshman student. In 1980, Moorse walked around naked in front of students at the cabin and asked one of the students to give him a back rub. By 1982, Moorse was masturbating in front of his victims.

Moorse allegedly masturbated in front of at least five of his victims, performed oral sex on at least two of his victims and sodomized at least one of his victims. Five students reported that Moorse engaged in “inappropriate sexual discussions”. One student alleged that he and another student were physically assaulted by Moorse.

One of the students alleged that after he had an inappropriate sexual discussion with Fr. Moorse, he immediately went to Fr. Mel Taylor. The student alleges that Fr. Taylor laughed. Moorse abused at least five students after the student went to Fr. Taylor.

Another student claimed, in a signed affidavit, that Fr. Francisco Schulte warned him to stay away from Moorse. Following that warning from (school chaplain) Fr. Schulte, Fr. Moorse allegedly abused at least more eight students.

Fr. Mel Taylor used his master key to enter my locked dorm room without my permission. Looking back, I am certain that Fr. Mel knew I was in the room and in my bed enjoying some “private time.” I believe this to be true because he unlocked my door, entered, locked the door and was sitting on my bed … before I was even able to fully pull up my underwear.

Statement from Victim of Fr. Mel Taylor

June 29, 2011

My name is [Redacted]. I am [Redacted] years old and currently live in [Redacted].

Part of my high school education was spent at St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville, Minnesota. While attending the “Prep School” in the early 1980s, I lived in the dormitory with dozens of other male Prep School students.

Fr. Mel Taylor, a monk from Saint John’s Abbey, was one of several adult male supervisors, or “prefects”, who lived in a separate section of the dormitory building. During my junior year, Fr. Mel’s official title was “Residency Dean.”

On one occasion during my junior year, Fr. Mel Taylor used his master key to enter my locked dorm room without my permission. Looking back, I am certain that Fr. Mel knew I was in the room and in my bed enjoying some “private time.” I believe this to be true because he unlocked my door, entered, locked the door and was sitting on my bed, all in a matter of seconds. Precisely, before I was even able to fully pull up my underwear.

When Fr. Mel sat down, I was sitting up in the bed without a shirt and had the sheet up to my waist. Fr. Mel began rubbing my chest and then my nipples. He was obviously trying to keep me aroused. He must have sensed that I was uncomfortable because he kept saying things like: “relax” “calm down” “this is ok” and “you are too tense”.

It was difficult for me to react to Fr. Mel’s advances (given his position as priest and prefect) and it took me a few moments to process what was happening. It was clear that Fr. Mel was trying to convince me that his homosexual advances were something I desired though I had never before, nor since, desired such contact. Fr. Mel continued to touch me and it was apparent that he was working himself up to something I knew I did not want.

When I finally did react, I pushed Fr. Mel off the bed. I got out of the bed, with Fr. Mel facing me, and pulled up my underwear. When Fr. Mel didn’t leave, I pushed him physically toward and out of the door.

I never reported this before. I was too embarrassed to deal with the incident or talk about it at the time.

After the incident, I had many questions. Did I do something to provoke Fr. Mel? Why did he choose me? How did he know what I was doing in the room?

At the end of my junior year, I was asked to not return to the Prep School. No specific reason was given other than I was a not a positive influence in the community. I believe that Fr. Mel was part of that decision process. I was allowed to return for my senior year, though under a performance contract.

Fr. Mel Taylor did not return as Residency Dean for my senior year. There were rumors about Fr. Mel’s drinking and about the special attention he paid to his favorite students.

During my senior year, I became more rebellious. My issues with authority increased and I was ultimately kicked out of the school. I graduated from [Redacted] High School in 19XX.

I cannot help but wonder how many other students were victim to Fr. Mel’s inappropriate homosexual advances — and how many of those young men weren’t able to react in time. And I still wonder how he was able to know what I was doing in the privacy of my own room.

When I found out that Fr. Mel Taylor was still an active priest (in the Bahamas) I felt compelled to tell my story. Fr. Mel Taylor should have been removed from ministry a long time ago.

It has taken years for me to start addressing the issues Fr. Mel created for me. I do not wish this pain or confusion on anyone.

Saint John’s University football coach John Gagliardi has finally spoken on the record about sexual misconduct.

In a Saint Cloud Times article regarding sex abuse at Penn State and Joe Paterno, Gagliardi said, “It’s just hard to believe anything like this can happen — that there are these kinds of people (like Sandusky is alleged to have been) around. But there are. It’s just very sad.”

Seriously?

Gagliardi lives less than a mile from Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, home to over a dozen sex offenders. 250 children and vulnerable adults have been victimized within a mile of Gagliardi’s home.

And his first public comments regarding sexual misconduct were about Penn State?

“It’s just awful,” Gagliardi was quoted in the Saint Cloud Times [ View ], “Just awful. If they’re true, I don’t know if there is enough punishment in the world for a guy like that.”

It is worth repeating… Gagliardi lives less than a mile from Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, home to over a dozen sex offenders. 250 children and vulnerable adults have been victimized within a mile of Gagliardi’s home.  [ View ]

Gagliardi could have, but didn’t speak about the list of the eighteen offending monks that was released by Saint John’s Abbot John Klassen in April [ View ]. Each of the eighteen men on the list roamed the campus during Gagliardi’s tenure.

Gagliardi could have, but didn’t speak about the steps he took the first time he became aware of misconduct by the monks and other personnel on campus.  Or the second time. Or the third time.

Gagliardi could have, but has never spoken publicly about the six offenders (Griffith, Kelly, Moorse, Schulte, Tarlton, Taylor) who worked at Saint John’s Preparatory School where just one of his children attended from 1981-1985.

Gagliardi could have, but did not speak about his athletic department’s coverup of misconduct by Saint John’s monk Fr. Bruce Wollmering in 2003. [ View ]

Instead, Gagliardi spoke about sexual misconduct at Penn State University [ View ].

Gagliardi’s compassion for the victims and distain for the offender (Jerry Sandusky) at Penn State is commendable.

It’s a great start.

Now when will Gagliardi offer words of support of those victimized in Collegeville? And when will he publicly chastise those men and women who have and continue to cover up and enable misconduct to flourish in his own backyard?

Many believe that there are two leaders in Collegeville: Abbot John Klassen and Coach John Gagliardi, but not necessarily in that order.

Abbot Klassen has proven to be dishonest, deceptive and insensitive. Klassen is just another compromised monk in a monastic house built on compromise and held together with desperate public relations moves.

John Gagliardi has proven only to be silent… until now. And when Gagliardi finally spoke about misconduct, he spoke about a target 1067 miles away. To some victims of misconduct in Collegeville, his remarks were seen as insensitive and misdirected.

The threat in Collegeville has not passed. Those in leadership must do everything they can to protect children, students and other vulnerable targets.

To date, they have not.

Posted November 9, 2011 @ 9:22am [text available upon request] Revised November 11, 2011 @ 3:04am

According to the abbey’s own records, at least twenty-one priests from Saint John’s Abbey were assigned to St. Anselm’s and St. Benedict’s in the Bronx between 1939 and 1976. In the 1960′s, one of those Saint John’s Abbey priests, Fr. Agustin Cerezo, was removed after several allegations of misconduct surfaced.  Saint John’s was made aware of Fr. Cerezo’s misconduct and replaced him, it is believed, with Fr. Virgil O’Neill in 1969.

Saint John’s was reminded of those allegations twenty-seven years later, in 2006, when Abbot John Klassen was contacted by Msgr. Desmond O’Connor from the Archdiocese of New York after O’Connor’s office was contacted by one of Fr. Cerezo’s victims.

Fr. Cerezo’s name was not included in a recent letter sent by Abbot Klassen. In fact, Abbot Klassen and the leadership at St. John’s Abbey decided to keep Fr. Cerezo’s name, and the credible allegations against him, from the public.

In June of 2009, another Saint John’s Abbey priest, Father Timothy Kelly, was publicly accused of sexual misconduct in the Bronx. Father Timothy Kelly would later become abbot at Saint John’s.

Abbot John Klassen, the spiritual leader at Saint John’s, has proven to be a deceptive administrator. Abbot Klassen’s refusal to be honest with regard to sexual misconduct is a terrible, and dangerous, example for the entire Saint John’s community.

Saint John’s Abbey priests assigned to parishes in the Bronx:

*** St. Anselm’s (Bronx, New York)

Father Agustin Cerezo
Father Timothy Kelly
Father Peter St. Hilaire
Father Stephen Wagman
Father Mel Taylor
Father Virgil O’Neill
Father Bartholomew Sayles
Father Burton Bloms
Father Don Talafous

*** St. Benedict’s (Bronx, New York)

Father Jordan Stovik
Father Emmanuel Kelsch
Father Edmund Hall
Father Julius Muggli
Father Edwin Stueber
Father Alban Fruth
Father Brennan Maiers (late 60′s to early 70′s)

***St. Benedict’s and/or St. Anselm’s (Bronx, New York)

Father Bernard Watrin
Father Sebastian Schramel
Father Patrick Okada
Father Robert Blumeyer
Father Terence Carroll
Father Damian Baker

Posted Jun 9, 2011
Updated: November 22, 2011

Reverend Jerome Tupa, OSB, from pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville, to pastor of the Church of Saint Joseph, Saint Joseph.

Reverend Mel Taylor, OSB, to pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville.

Diocese of Saint Cloud – Official Announcements
Official June 8, 2012

The Most Reverend John F. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, makes the following appointments in the Diocese of Saint Cloud, effective June 26, 2012:

Reverend Joseph Backowski to parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Michael, Saint Cloud, and the Church of Saint Joseph, Waite Park;

Reverend Gerald Dalseth from pastor of the Church of Saint Michael, Buckman and the Church of Saint Joseph, Pierz, to retirement;

Reverend Jeffrey Ethen from pastor of the Church of Saint Francis de Sales, Belgrade, the Church of Saint Donatus, Brooten, and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Elrosa, to pastor of the Church of Saint Elizabeth, Elizabeth, and the Church of Saint Leonard of Port Mauritius, Pelican Rapids;

Reverend Joseph Herzing from pastor of the Church of the Holy Cross, Butler, and the Church of Saint Henry, Perham, to pastor of the Church of the Holy Family, Belle Prairie and the Church Our Lady of Lourdes, Little Falls;

Reverend Mark Innocenti from pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Little Falls, and parochial vicar of the Church of the Holy Family, Belle Prairie, to pastor of the Church of Saint Michael, Saint Cloud, and the Church of Saint Joseph, Waite Park;

Reverend Peter Kirchner from pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart, Glenwood, and the Church of Saint Bartholomew, Villard, to pastor of the Church of Saint Mary of the Presentation, Breckenridge, and the Church of Saint Thomas, Kent;

Reverend John Knopik from parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Andrew, Elk River, to parochial vicar of the Church of All Saints, Holdingford, the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Opole, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Anna, and the Church of Saint Columbkille, Saint Wendel;

Reverend Benjamin Kociemba, to parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Francis Xavier, Sartell, and chaplain at Cathedral High School, Saint Cloud;

Reverend Matthew Kuhn, from parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Michael, Saint Cloud, and the Church of Saint Joseph, Waite Park, to pastor of the Church of the Holy Cross, Butler, and the Church of Saint Henry, Perham;

Reverend Nicholas Landsberger from pastor of the Church of the Holy Family, Belle Prairie, while continuing as pastor of the Church of Saint Mary, Little Falls;

Reverend Vincent Lieser from pastor of the Church of Saint Michael, Saint Cloud, and the Church of Saint Joseph, Waite Park, to retirement;

Reverend Gregory Mastey from Vocations Director of the Diocese of Saint Cloud to pastor of the Church of All Saints, Holdingford, the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Opole, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Anna, and the Church of Saint Columbkille, Saint Wendel;

Reverend Jerome Nordick to parochial vicar of the Church of the Holy Family, Belle Prairie, and the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Little Falls;

Reverend Jeremy Ploof to parochial vicar of the Cathedral of Saint Mary, the Church of Saint Augustine, Saint Cloud, and Christ Church-Newman Center, Saint Cloud;

Reverend Scott Pogatchnik from parochial vicar of the Cathedral of Saint Mary, Saint Cloud, the Church of Saint Augustine, Saint Cloud, and Christ Church-Newman Center, Saint Cloud, to Vocations Director of the Diocese of Saint Cloud;

Reverend Kenneth Popp from pastor of the Church of Saint Mary of the Presentation, Breckenridge, and the Church of Saint Thomas, Kent, to pastor of the Church of Saint Michael, Buckman, and the Church of Saint Joseph, Pierz;

Reverend Mark Stang from pastor of the Church of All Saints, Holdingford, the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Opole, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Anna, and the Church of Saint Columbkille, Saint Wendel, to pastor of the Church of Saint Francis de Sales, Belgrade, the Church of Saint Donatus, Brooten, and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Elrosa;

Reverend Stanley Wieser from pastor of the Church of Saint Elizabeth, and the Church of Saint Leonard of Port Mauritius, Pelican Rapids, to retirement;

Reverend Michael Wolfbauer, from parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Francis Xavier, Sartell, and chaplain at Cathedral High School, Saint Cloud, to pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart, Glenwood, and the Church of Saint Bartholomew, Villard.

The Most Reverend John F. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, makes the following appointments in the Diocese of Saint Cloud, effective July 1, 2012:

Reverend Eugene Doyle from pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Becker, and the Church of Our Lady of the Lake, Big Lake, to pastor of the newly erected parish of Mary of the Visitation, Becker/Big Lake, while continuing as canonical pastor of the Church of Saint Mary. Mora, and the Church of Saint Kathryn, Ogilvie.

The Most Reverend John F. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, makes the following appointments in the Diocese of Saint Cloud, effective June 2, 2012:

Deacon Randall Altstadt to diaconal ministry at the Church of Saint Henry, Perham.

The Most Reverend John F. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, after presentation of the Right Reverend John Klassen, OSB, Abbot of Saint John’s Abbey, makes the following appointments in the Diocese of Saint Cloud, effective June 25, 2012:

Reverend Jerome Tupa, OSB, from pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville, to pastor of the Church of Saint Joseph, Saint Joseph.

The Most Reverend John F. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, after presentation of the Right Reverend John Klassen, OSB, Abbot of Saint John’s Abbey, makes the following appointments in the Diocese of Saint Cloud, effective June 25, 2012 and extending to September 1, 2012:

Reverend Wilfred Theisen, OSB, to canonical administrator of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville.

The Most Reverend John F. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, after presentation of the Right Reverend John Klassen, OSB, Abbot of Saint John’s Abbey, makes the following appointments in the Diocese of Saint Cloud, effective September 1, 2012:

Reverend Mel Taylor, OSB, to pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville.

Catherine Coghlan
Chancellor

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Given at the Chancery

May 31, 2012

Source: http://www.stcdio.org/the-visitor/official-announcements.html

View as PDF… Here

According to the Saint Cloud Diocese [ View ], Father Mel Taylor is coming home from the Bahamas to become pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville.

Father Mel Taylor was shipped off to the Bahamas in the early 1990s, following allegations of misconduct in Cold Spring, Minnesota and at Saint John’s Prep School. Father Mel Taylor also served in the Bronx.

According to a former monk, Fr. Mel Taylor is alleged to have at least on victim in both the Prep School dorm and in Cold Spring. It has also been alleged that Fr. Taylor was making advances toward another monk. These advances were brought to the attention of Abbot Timothy Kelly. Timothy Kelly’s response was something like, “I know Mel, he wouldn’t do that”.

Mel Taylor made professed solemn vows to Saint John’s Abbey on July 11, 1963. He was ordained on June 3, 1967.

According to the Saint John’s Abbey Quarterly (Spring, 1991):

Shortly after his late February return from the annual visit to Saint Augustine’s Monastery in Nassau, Abbot Jerome announced the appointment of a new Prior and a new Treasurer of this Bahama Benedictine community founded by Saint John’s Abbey in 1947·

Father Mel Taylor, 55, will become the Prior of Saint Augustine’s on 15 September, succeeding Father Theophile Brown. Professed as a monk in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1967, Father Mel is Saint John’s only F.B.I. (Foreign Born Irishman), having been born in Easkey, County Sligo, Ireland.

Since his ordination, he has served as an associate pastor of Saint Anselm’s and Saint Benedict’s Churches in the Bronx, New York, and as the pastor of Saint Bernard’s Church in Saint Paul and Saint Boniface Church in Cold Spring. He was also the Dean of Students at the Preparatory School for several years. Last fall he went to the Bahamas for a pastoral sabbatical and has now joined the ranks of those many confreres who have discovered that “It’s Better in the Bahamas.”

The following is a list of Saint John’s monks with credible allegations of misconduct who served in the Bahamas.

Fr. Othmar Hohmann (1932- )
Fr. Peregrine Berres (1957-1965)
Fr. Allen Tarlton (1962-64, 1967-1968)
Br. Paschal Brisson (?-1967-1969-?)
Abbot Timothy Kelly (1963-1964, v1993)
Fr. Richard Eckroth (1977-1993, v1997)
Br. Jim Phillips (1981-84)
Fr. Mel Taylor (1980, 1990-2012)
Abbot John Eidenschink (v1984)
Fr. Dan Ward (v1996, 1997- )
Fr. Francisco Schulte (1997-1998)
Brother Herard Jean-Noel ( -1998)
Fr. Jerome Tupa (1998)
Fr. Finian McDonald (1998-2001)
Br. Paul Richards (v1998, s2011)

v = visit
s = sabbatical

Also Note:

Father Daniel Durken (30+ visits) & Sister Dolores Schuh (12+ visits)

References to Personnel in the Bahamas:

Approximately 1178 students attended the Prep School in the 80′s. 438
left before their senior year.

On the Prep School’s staff in the 80′s:

81-82: Griffith, Kelly, Moorse, Schulte, Tarlton, Taylor
82-83: Griffith, Kelly, Moorse, Schulte, Tarlton, Taylor
83-84: Griffith, Hanegraff, Kelly, Moorse, Tarlton
84-85: Griffith, Hanegraff, Moorse, Pavkovich, Tarlton
85-86: Kelly, Moorse, Pavkovich, Tarlton
86-87: Bik, Connolly, Kelly, Pavkovich, Schulte, Tarlton
87-88: Bik, Connolly, Kelly, Pavkovich, Schulte, Tarlton
88-89: Andert, Bik, Connolly, Kelly, Pavkovich, Tarlton
89-90: Andert, Bik, Connolly, Kelly, Pavkovich, Phillips, Tarlton

*** Interesting Stat #1:

There were 60 new freshmen in 1986. 39 left before their senior year.
There were 29 new sophomores in 1986, 14 left before their senior year.
There were 21 new juniors in 1986, 9 left before their senior year.
Look who was on staff starting in 1986 (above).

*** Interesting Stat #2:

Between 1982 to 1987, over HALF of the students who entered St. John’s
Prep School left before their senior year.

303 entered as freshmen
144 entered as sophomores
116 entered as juniors
—–
Of these 563 new students, 279 left before their senior year (50.1%).

*** Interesting Stat #3:

303 freshmen entered between 1982 to 1987. 150 left before their senior year.

*** Another Example:

There were 29 new sophomores in 1985. 15 left after one year.

Father Mel Taylor reportedly left the Bahamas on Monday, June 4, 2012, a day after he was confronted during mass by a man who claimed Father Mel Taylor had pursued him (for a sexual relationship) over a year and a half period.  The man used the church’s microphone after communion to make the accusations.

Father Mel Taylor was not scheduled to leave the Bahamas until June 24, 2012 but reportedly left early “for health reasons.”

Father Mel Taylor arrived in the Bahamas in 1980, following allegations of misconduct in Cold Spring, Minnesota. Father Mel Taylor served as associate pastor of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Nassau, Bahamas for one year.

After his year in the Bahamas, Father Mel Taylor returned to Saint John’s Abbey.

It didn’t take long for Father Mel Taylor to get into trouble. According to another monk:

Fr. Mel Taylor was making advances toward another monk. These advances were brought to the attention of Abbot Timothy Kelly. Timothy Kelly’s response was something like, “I know Mel, he wouldn’t do that”.

After rumors of misconduct surfaced at the Saint John’s Prep School ( Victim #2 ) and in the monastery, Father Mel Taylor was once again exiled to the Bahamas in 1990.

This practice (exiling offending monks) was reportedly employed by Saint John’s Abbey since the early 1960s when Father Allen Tarlton made his first trip to the islands.

More: Monk Offenders in the Bahamas

According to the Archdiocese of Nassau, Fr. Mel Taylor “taught religion classes at St. Augustine College and was appointed Prior of the St. Augustine’s Monastery in 1991. He remained in that position until the closure of the Monastery in June 2005. He also served at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish on Long Island from 1997-2000, and was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in 2006 until the present.”

On May 31, 2012, Bishop John F. Kinney, Diocese of Saint Cloud (after presentation of the Right Reverend John Klassen, OSB) announced [ View ] that effective September 1, 2012, Father Mel Taylor, OSB, would be pastor of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Collegeville.

Father Mel Taylor’s departure marked the end of an era for the Benedictine Monks who have served in the Bahamas for over 114 years.

Pinder said it is unfortunate that there are some members of the Order of St. Benedict against whom allegations of sexual abuse have risen.

Archdiocese Launches Program To Protect The Abused

Catholic Archbishop Patrick Pinder said he would never tolerate any abuse within his Archdiocese and added that he knows of no one in the local Catholic ministry against whom any allegations of sexual abuse exist.

His comments came amid allegations of abuse that have swirled in various circles.

Pinder said it is unfortunate that there are some members of the Order of St. Benedict against whom allegations of sexual abuse have risen.

The archbishop said in a statement, “The Benedictines (Order of St. Benedict) had a long and distinguished association with The Bahamas which extended over a period of 120 years. They have done a tremendous amount of good for the religious and social development of this community, particularly in education.”

Pinder said he would never tolerate abusive behavior period — whether sexual or otherwise.

Referring to allegations against some members of the Order of St. Benedict, the archbishop said, “This casts aspersions on their colleagues, the vast majority of whom were men of excellent character and exemplary virtue.

“This is a sad development.” Pinder said he remains hopeful and prayerful that reconciliation can be achieved for those affected.

“I am thoroughly committed to maintaining safe environments for children and vulnerable adults in our community,” he said.

“In support of this, we have launched, here in the Archdiocese, the Virtus program for the protection of God’s children.”

The Virtus program, according to Virtus.org, identifies best practices designed to help prevent “wrongdoing and promote right doing within religious organizations”.

For more than a decade now, the international Catholic Church has been rife with allegations of sexual abuse brought against priests.

Some of the most senior officials in the Catholic Church in the United States and elsewhere have for years been accused of covering up reports of abuse and transferring clergy against whom those reports were made.

Last year, a group of victims abused by Catholic priests filed a formal complain to the International Criminal Court accusing the pope, the Vatican secretary of state and other senior officials of crimes against humanity.

The Catholic Church has spent years trying to sanitize its image amid the serious reports of sexual abuse and widespread cover up involving church officials.

Read Entire Article and Comments… Here

Archdiocese Launches Program To Protect The Abused
Travis Cartwright-Carroll
Nassau Guardian
June 29, 2012

Like Abbot Timothy Kelly and Abbot John Klassen before him, Archbishop Patrick Pinder (Bahamas) was made aware of Father Mel Taylor’s misconduct.

Had Archbishop Pinder acted in the best interests of his church and Mel Taylor’s victim, the incident on June 3, 2012 [ View ] might have been avoided.

Developing…

This still frame, from a video taken with a cell phone camera on June 3, 2012, shows a man (at right) using a microphone to address the congregation at Father Mel Taylor’s last mass [ View ] in the Bahamas.

The video was shot at Sacred Heart Church on Shirley Street in Nassau, Bahamas on June 3, 2012, at the 8:30 a.m. mass.

According to the man, Fr. Mel Taylor propositioned him on numerous occasions over the course of several months.

The two men (in the brown shirts) were coming to escort the man out of the church. Between the two men is a woman who was reading announcements after communion.

Three weeks after Father Mel Taylor left the Bahamas, Archbishop Patrick Pinder wrote that he, “knows of no one in the local Catholic ministry against whom any allegations of sexual abuse exist.” [ View ]

Video available soon…

In late December of 2011, [Victim] met with Archbishop Patrick Pinder in the conference room in the chancery at St. Francis Cathedral in Nassau, Bahamas. The meeting was close to an hour in length. [Victim] asked that Pinder bring Father Mel Taylor in for a meeting so that [Victim] could confront Taylor regarding sexual advances, exposures and other inappropriateness perpetrated by Taylor when [Victim] was a novice monk in the early 1990s. [Victim] simply wanted to put the issue to rest.

Pinder refused to set up that meeting. According to [Victim], Pinder told [Victim] that he would have to deal with the issue.

This 1992 photo shows [Victim] (left) and Mel Taylor (second from left) in the Bahamas.

1. Novice [Victim] 2. Father Mel Taylor, OSB
3. Bishop Lawrence Burke S.J.
4. Cardinal Jozef Tomko, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
5. Father Theophile Brown OSB
6. Brother Barry Gearman OSB
7. Father George Wolf OSB
8. Father Fintan Bromenschenkel OSB

When [Victim] found out that Taylor would be celebrating his final mass on June 3rd, he decided to deal with the issue.

The Monastic history in the Bahamas started long before the Monastery was erected. About the Fall of 1890, Archbishop Corrigan asked the Abbot of Saint John’s Abbey, Collegeville MN, to assume responsibility for the Bahamas mission. Abbot Alexius Edelbrock, O.S.B. asked Fr. Chrysostom Schreiner O.S.B. to become the first permanent Catholic priest in the Bahamas. His works were many as he labored to spread the Good News around the islands of the Bahamas. Many more Benedictine monks and sisters came to help grow and support the Catholic mission in the Bahamas. In 1945 Saint Augustines College and Monastery was founded by Fr. Fredric Frey O.S.B. Over the years the Benedictines worked to support the Church, education, and youth development around the islands. They farmed the land, raised bees, and had a successful bakery. Sadly, in 2007, the Monastery was closed and the property deeded to the diocese. Father Mel Tayler O.S.B continued to serve in the diocese until he returned home to Saint Johns Abbey in 2012 However, in 2012, with the help of Archbishop Christopher Pinder and Brother Paul Richards O.S.B., four benedictine volunteers were sent down to live in the monastery and help continue the Benedictine mission.