Protest held in front of St. Norbert Abbey as father claims his dead son was sexually abused
Nathan Lindstrom died by suicide in March after alleging sexual abuse as a student at Norte Dame Academy
December 6th, 2020
DE PERE, Wis. (WBAY) - Friends and family of a Minnesota man stood in Sunday morning holding up signs.
Some of them read “Justice for Nate” and “Stop Clergy Abuse.”
“My son contracted [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] when he was 14-years-old, lived with it until he was 45, and then as a result of his illness he died by suicide,” David Lindstrom said of his son Nathan.
Nathan Lindstrom, referred to as Nate by his friends, was sexually abused in the 80s as a student at Notre Dame Academy, according to his father.
The father of three died by suicide on March 9 in Ramsey, Minnesota, a month before turning 46.
Among the signs held by friends in front of St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere was a check stub from the abbey.
Lindstrom said Nate received about $420,000 in payments over the course of ten years.
“We’ve got checks and we’ve got all of the cards that came with the checks telling him, ‘have a good New Years. How you doing,’” he said.
The Norbertines released a statement to Action 2 News that the accusations Nate made were investigated and deemed not credible.
Abbot Letter by Krystal Frasier on Scribd
Furthermore, they also confirmed to another media outlet that the payments were “pastoral in nature” and meant to help with counseling.
On the St. Norbert Abbey’s website, it has listed 22 priests with credible accusations of sexually abusing minors.
Lindstrom said justice for his son is long overdue and the payments were only made after he and his wife approached the abbey with the allegations.
“I mean these young men that have been molested were being molested by people who were men of God that they should trust and put their lives in and soul,” he said.
Lindstrom added that the statue of limitations in Wisconsin should change to allow victims who were abused as children receive justice as adults.
If you ever are in a time of crisis, you call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
If anyone has an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor, please call the local police and/or Child Protective Services at 920-448-6035.
Copyright 2020 WBAY. All rights reserved.