Former Northfield Priest Missing From List of Accused Clerics

A deceased Northfield priest is one of five clerics who have been accused of sexual abuse but were not included on a list that the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis released earlier this month, the Star Tribune reported.

Ambrose Filbin was named in a 2002 archdiocesan internal memo as one of 17 “priests with known abuse histories.”

The Star Tribune reports that he worked at:

• St. Pius X in White Bear Lake,
• St. Helena in Minneapolis,
• St. Ignatius in Annandale,
• St. Bridget in Lindstrom and
• Unspecified parishes in Lake Benton, Eden Valley and Northfield.

On Dec. 5, the archdiocese released a list of 30 clergymen who have "credible claims against them" of sexually abusing minors. But critics were quick to point out that the list omitted names of other priests who had been accused.

The archdiocese says its review of priest files is ongoing and that the initial list was not intended to be complete or final.

“The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is committed to disclosure because it can be an important means of assisting victims of abuse in their healing process,” a statement on the archdiocesan read. “Our sorrow for all acts of abuse by clergy can never be communicated enough. Our new disclosure practices began on December 5 and are ongoing. This is a process that has just begun and will take some time in order to proceed thoroughly and factually.”

Click here to read the full Star Tribune story on the 2002 memo.