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United States News Title: Mo. Special Olympics ousts ex-priest over abuse [ former Roman Catholic priest whose acknowledged sexual abuse of boys in the 1980s ] A former Roman Catholic priest whose acknowledged sexual abuse of boys in the 1980s spurred a $5 million settlement in Wisconsin two decades ago was suspended from his volunteer position with Special Olympics Missouri after the group learned about the allegations. Mark Musso, president and CEO of Special Olympics Missouri, said the former priest, Tom Ericksen, 62, of Kansas City, was suspended indefinitely last week. Ericksen told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that he had been volunteering with the organization four about five years. He also admitted that he had fondled three boys but denied having contact with a fourth child involved in the settlement with the Superior Diocese of Wisconsin. He said the 1989 settlement totaled about $5 million. "I just fondled and stuff like that," Ericksen said during the interview in the lobby of his Kansas City apartment building. "But I can't say I didn't do inappropriate things. ... But I never had sex" with them, he said. Ericksen also said he has not abused any children since leaving the priesthood, including Special Olympians. "They think of me as an ogre. That I did this many more times. But I haven't," he said. The settlement was a civil matter and no criminal charges were ever filed against Ericksen. Such charges could have triggered some online databases that track sexual offenders. Musso noted that nothing turned up in a background check on Ericksen when he applied to volunteer. Musso said Ericksen's duties typically included checking in volunteers at area games and he was never "in any role in which he'd have direct access to athletes." The settlement came to light recently when two men came forward to say Ericksen had abused them when he was pastor at their Wisconsin parish. Musso said Ericksen was suspended the day that Special Olympics Missouri learned of the settlement. Bishop Peter Christensen of the Superior diocese was out of the office Monday and did not return a call seeking comment. Ericksen left Wisconsin in 1983 and was removed from the priesthood in 1988. He said he first moved to Minneapolis, where he worked for AT&T as a customer service representative, and moved to Kansas City in 2005. He began volunteering with Special Olympics Missouri soon after he arrived in Kansas City. "It's my way of ministering now," he said. The Duluth News Tribune has reported that two victims want Wisconsin prosecutors to file charges against Ericksen. Neither men responded to messages left at phone numbers listed in their names. Sawyer County District Attorney Tom Van Roy also did not return a call seeking comment.
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