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A prominent Catholic priest and professor about to be sued for allegedly sexually abusing a Twin Cities-area girl more than a decade ago has taken a voluntary leave of absence from his priestly and teaching duties.

The Rev. Michael J. Keating, a popular Catholic Studies teacher at the University of St. Thomas, is on a voluntary leave of absence, Jim Accurso, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, said Sunday. Accurso said he couldn’t discuss the reasons for the leave or any of the allegations involving Keating.

Lawyer Jeff Anderson, the woman’s attorney, said that his office notified Keating of the lawsuit on Saturday and plans to file the complaint Monday morning in Ramsey County District Court.

Keating could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

Keating, 57, is 29 years older than the alleged victim, who Anderson said was 13 when the abuse began. That would mean the alleged abuse began about 15 years ago, before Keating completed his religious studies and was ordained as a priest in 2002.

Records show he was in the seminary in St. Paul before his ordination. Recently, Keating has been a speaker in the archdiocese’s Rediscover Catholicism movement.

Anderson said his client reported Keating’s actions to the archdiocese, which is not named in the lawsuit, in 2006. He said he would elaborate on the litigation Monday at a news conference, but said it is “deeply troubling” that the archdiocese has kept Keating in ministry.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A former top deputy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has resigned from the board of trustees at the University of St. Thomas.

The Rev. Kevin McDonough resigned from the board on October 4. His departure came amid growing concern over McDonough's handling of clergy sexual abuse cases in the church.

McDonough served as the vicar general for the archdiocese for more than a decade. He led an investigation in 2006 into allegations that a priest who taught at St. Thomas sexually abused a teenage girl.

MINNESOTA
Fox 9

posted by Lindsey LaBelle
video report by Paul Blume

T. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) -
The University of St. Thomas sent out a bulletin on Saturday announcing the former Archbishop Harry Flynn has retired from his position as chair of the Board of Trustees, and vice chair Father Kevin McDonough has voluntarily resigned.

McDonough is the former Vicar General of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and used to report to former Archbishop Flynn.

McDonough is also head pastor at a couple of metro-area congregations including St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in St. Paul.

As the former Vicar General, McDonough led the investigations into inappropriate sexual conduct of priests that included allegations made against Rev. Michael Keating, who is now accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl.

Earlier this week, a 28-year old woman filed a lawsuit against Keating for his behavior when she was 13 years old, about 15 years ago. Keating is a professor at St. Thomas and has since taken a leave of absence from the school.

Several internal church investigative documents detailing the case and his behavior some about 6 or 7 years ago were signed by McDonough and sent to then-Archbishop Flynn and leaked to the public in recent days.

D1B wrote:A lawsuit was filed by Jeffrey Anderson on behalf of a woman who was allegedly raped by this **** catholic nerd:

A prominent Catholic priest and professor about to be sued for allegedly sexually abusing a Twin Cities-area girl more than a decade ago has taken a voluntary leave of absence from his priestly and teaching duties.

The Rev. Michael J. Keating, a popular Catholic Studies teacher at the University of St. Thomas, is on a voluntary leave of absence, Jim Accurso, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, said Sunday. Accurso said he couldn’t discuss the reasons for the leave or any of the allegations involving Keating.

Lawyer Jeff Anderson, the woman’s attorney, said that his office notified Keating of the lawsuit on Saturday and plans to file the complaint Monday morning in Ramsey County District Court.

Keating could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

Keating, 57, is 29 years older than the alleged victim, who Anderson said was 13 when the abuse began. That would mean the alleged abuse began about 15 years ago, before Keating completed his religious studies and was ordained as a priest in 2002.

Records show he was in the seminary in St. Paul before his ordination. Recently, Keating has been a speaker in the archdiocese’s Rediscover Catholicism movement.

Anderson said his client reported Keating’s actions to the archdiocese, which is not named in the lawsuit, in 2006. He said he would elaborate on the litigation Monday at a news conference, but said it is “deeply troubling” that the archdiocese has kept Keating in ministry.

Yep, the church is doing all they can to protect children.