A Minnesota man alleged Tuesday that his
Catholic bishop blackmailed him, threatening to block his path to
becoming a deacon and harm his son's priesthood career if he told anyone
about being abused by a beloved priest decades earlier.
Ronald Vasek filed a lawsuit
Monday against Bishop Michael Hoeppner and the Diocese of Crookston in
northwestern Minnesota. His attorney, Jeff Anderson, said it's the first
time a U.S. bishop has been sued individually for coercion.