CARLTON COUNTY PRIEST LISTED AS “CREDIBLY ACCUSED” OF SEXUAL ABUSE. The allegations were not related to his service in Northeastern Minnesota, a spokesman said.

Josephine Rodriguez ABOUT SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS, SENIOR SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS, SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS IN POSITIONS OF TRUST, SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS WHO REOFFEND

January 14, 2021
Tom Olsen
Duluth News Tribute

The Diocese of Duluth has added a former Carlton County priest to its list of clergy deemed “credibly accused” of child sexual abuse.

The Rev. David Tushar had served as a priest in Northeastern Minnesota for nearly 35 years when he was placed on leave in July 2019 pending an investigation into allegations of abuse.

The allegations were related to his earlier service as a Holy Cross Father and Catholic school teacher in Niles, Illinois, from 1978-79.

Deacon Kyle Eller, spokesman for the Diocese of Duluth, said there have not been any allegations against Tushar locally.

“He had not been added to the list as we awaited a report from the Holy Cross Fathers, which we have now received, and which found the accusation credible,” Eller wrote in an email to the News Tribune on Thursday. “The case now goes to the Vatican.”

Tushar, 71, had most recently served as pastor at St. Francis Catholic Church in Carlton and SS. Joseph and Mary Catholic Church in Sawyer. He has been removed from ministry and his clergy privileges have been revoked.

Tushar came to the area in 1985 and was transferred into the Diocese of Duluth in 1988. In that time, he was also assigned to parishes in Grand Rapids, Cohasset, Chisholm, Buhl, Bigfork, Effie, Warba, Duluth and Cloquet.

Tushar, a native of Gilbert, was ordained into the priesthood in 1976.

Tushar is now said to be living in Las Vegas. He could not be reached for comment.

He is the first priest to be formally added to the diocese’s list since it reached a $40 million settlement with 125 clergy sex abuse victims to resolve years of litigation and emerge from bankruptcy in October 2019.

The diocese first identified 17 accused priests in December 2013. It has since added 20 additional names of priests who were subsequently accused or identified by other dioceses or religious orders.

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/crime-and-courts/6840864-Carlton-County-priest-listed-as-credibly-accused-of-sexual-abuse

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