The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

A BENEDICTINE monk who once served in the Bahamas is facing sexual abuse allegations, according to a Minnesota newspaper.

The claims surfaced on Thursday after a lawsuit was filed against St John’s Abbey in St Cloud, Minnesota, which accused the religious body of fraud, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The lawsuit also notes that at least three abbots of St John’s Abbey knew that the monk had faced such allegations, but continued to assign him teaching roles in other places in the United States and the Bahamas, according to another daily, the St Cloud Times (SC Times).

A former student filed the suit and alleges that the abuse took place during the early 1980s. 

According to the SC Times, the lawsuit mentions that the monk was sent several times to treatment for sexual offenders along with alcohol abuse between 1960 and 1983.

The suit comes almost one month after claims surfaced in New Providence that a Benedictine monk left the island several days before his scheduled departure over accusations of sexual abuse.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Nassau, however, denied that any monk serving in the church in the Bahamas was facing that type of allegation.

Archbishop Patrick Pinder told The Tribune that the Benedictines had a long-standing and distinguished relationship with the Bahamas, which has lasted for the past 120 years.

“They have done a tremendous amount of good for the religion and social development of this community, particularly in education,” said the archbishop. 

“It is most unfortunate that there are some members of their Order against whom allegations of sexual abuse have arisen. This casts aspersions on their colleagues, the vast majority of whom were men of excellent character and exemplary virtue. 

“This is a sad development. Yet, I remain hopeful and prayerful that all the necessary healing and reconciliation can be achieved. 

“To my knowledge, at present time, there is no one in ministry or in any service of this Archdiocese against whom any allegations of sexual abuse exists.”

Archbishop Pinder said he would never tolerate any abusive, or sexual behaviour in the Bahamas Archdiocese.