NEWS RELEASE
Diocese of St. Cloud
MEDIA CONTACT
Joe Towalski
Director of Communications
(O) 320-258-7624
jtowalski@gw.stcdio.org
February 13, 2018
STATEMENT RE: FATHER ANTHONY OELRICH
Bishop Donald Kettler of the Diocese of Saint Cloud has been notified by the St. Cloud Police Department that Father Anthony Oelrich, a priest of the diocese, was arrested Feb. 13 following an investigation of alleged sexual misconduct involving an adult woman.
Bishop Kettler has placed Father Oelrich on administrative leave from his current assignment as pastor of Christ Church Newman Center in St. Cloud. The bishop also has suspended Father Oelrich’s priestly faculties, meaning he cannot function or present himself as a priest, pending the outcome of the judicial process.
The diocese is cooperating with civil authorities and encourages all victims of abuse to come forward. Contact information for victim advocates and county officials to whom abuse can be reported is available online at: https://stcdio.org/about/safe-environment/how-to-report-abuse.