MINNEAPOLIS - A northern Minnesota man who had wanted to become a Catholic deacon has settled his coercion claims against his bishop.
Ronald Vasek, of Tabor, alleged in a lawsuit in May that Bishop Michael Hoeppner of Crookston blackmailed him into signing a letter in 2015 that essentially retracted his allegation that a priest from the diocese abused him when he was 16.
Attorney Mike Finnegan says Vasek got a copy of that letter and an undisclosed sum in a settlement with the bishop this week. He says Vasek's claims against the diocese itself remain pending.
Hoeppner says in a statement that he made no admission of wrongdoing under the settlement.
The bishop also says he was willing to ordain Vasek as a deacon, but that he chose not to be ordained.