Bishop Donald Kettler will hold listening sessions following an allegation of past sexual misconduct involving Father Arthur Hoppe, who served in active ministry in the Diocese of St. Cloud from 1947 to 1999, according to a news release from the diocese May 11.
Bishop Kettler has asked Diocesan Response Teams to hold two sessions for the people of the parishes in which Father Hoppe served. The bishop also added him to the diocese’s list of clergy likely to have abused minors.
The sessions are at the following times:
- 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, at St. Louis Parish in Paynesville.
- 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, at St. Mary Parish in Alexandria
Father Hoppe was ordained in 1947. He served in the following parishes: Assumption, Morris, 1947-50; St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Cloud, 1950-55; St. Patrick, Minden Township, 1955-58; St. Nicholas, Belle River, 1958-61; St. John Nepomuk, Lastrup, 1961-65; St. Louis, Paynesville, 1965-71; St. Mary, Alexandria, 1971-83; St. Wendelin, Luxemburg, 1983-89; St. Rose of Lima, St. Rosa, 1989-99. He retired in 1999 and died in 2019.
According to the news release, the sessions have three primary goals:
- to assure parishioners of Bishop Kettler’s support and assistance;
- to offer a process whereby sexual misconduct issues/concerns can be voiced and discussed;
- to allow other potential victims the opportunity to come forward and receive assistance and healing.
The full list of clergy names can be viewed at: http://stcdio.org/list-clergy-likely-abused-minors.
Bishop Kettler continues to encourage all victims of abuse to come forward. Contact information for victim advocates and county officials to whom abuse can be reported is available online at: http://stcdio.org/about/safe-environment/how-to-report-abuse.
The bishop asked all Catholics in the diocese to pray for healing for all victims and survivors of sexual abuse.