by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Allegations of sexual abuse by a St. John’s Abbey monk, the Rev. Timothy Backous, have been found to be unsubstantiated by in independent investigative panel.
It is the second time such charges against Backous have been found to be unsubstantiated.
In 1991, Backous was accused by parents of a boy in the St. John’s Boys’ Choir of molesting their son when Backous was a chaperone on a choir trip to Europe in 1990. Those charges were shown to be unfounded, according to SJA.
But last year, those same parents again filed charges for the same alleged molestation and another case of alleged molestation not previously mentioned.
SJA then hired an independent, third-party investigator to look into the charges. The team reviewed all pertinent records and interviewed witnesses, including many other chaperones and boy choir members who went on the European tour. The man who alleges he was abused by Backous as a boy refused to cooperate with the new investigation.
Backous entered St. John’s Monastery in 1979 and was ordained in 1986. He earned a doctorate in moral theology in Rome and is co-author of the book, Common Good, Uncommon Questions: Topics in Mortal Theology.
In 2014, due to the allegations against him, Backous was placed on leave from St. Michael’s Parish in Duluth. He is now at SJA, and SJA Abbot John Klassen said he will consult with Backous about what will be his future assignments.
The independent investigation in the case against him took almost one year to complete.
