Priest Who Formerly Served in Bemidji, Red Lake Cleared in Sexual Abuse Investigation

Rev. Patrick Sullivan

A priest who previously served in Bemidji and Red Lake has been cleared of a sexual abuse allegation involving a minor that was made public in 2016.

The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has closed the case involving Father Patrick Sullivan. Bishop Richard Pates of the Diocese of Crookston said in a letter that through a “thorough, years’ long investigation”, it was determined that the allegation made against Rev. Sullivan “is not credible and therefore unfounded.” Bishop Pates says Father Sullivan is to be highly commended for the dignity with which he carried himself throughout these years of investigation.

The investigation was conducted not by Crookston Diocese officials but rather under the supervision of Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis. All restrictions of ministry that had been imposed on Father Sullivan are fully lifted and his future ministry will be determined in the coming days.

Sullivan served as a priest in Bemidji in the late 1980s and in Red Lake after that. He most recently served in Dilworth and Hawley.