Sexual abuse lawsuit targets Vatican

May 15, 2019

WNKY Staff,

(KARE) A Minnesota lawsuit, filed in federal court Tuesday, seeks to force the Vatican to release the names and files of all clergy worldwide accused of abuse.

The plaintiffs are five men, all survivors of clergy abuse, including three brothers who say their abuser is former St. Paul priest, Curtis Wehmeyer.

Luke, Stephen, and Ben Hoffman appeared at a news conference Tuesday about the lawsuit, speaking publicly about their abuse for the first time.

“I just want the Vatican to do what’s right, and bring everything into the light, and make sure kids can be safe going into the place where they want to learn more about their faith,” said Stephen Hoffman.

Wehmeyer went to prison after pleading guilty in 2012 to molesting two boys and possessing child pornography.

The Archdiocese was criminally charged in 2015 for the way they handled the case and former Archbishop John Nienstedt resigned shortly after.

“I never want to go into a church and question the fact – is my son safe? And nobody should,” Ben Hoffman said, “The church is a beautiful place to be and I want it to go back to being that way.”