A misconduct allegation against a retired deacon will be investigated by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Archbishop Bernard Hebda announced May 5.
Deacon Martin Jaques Jr. has been accused of engaging in “offensive conduct with a minor in the early 2000s,” the archbishop said in a statement.
“The Archdiocese notified law enforcement, which declined to further investigate the case,” he said. “The Archdiocese will now conduct an investigation and follow its processes to determine whether a delict occurred and whether Deacon Jaques is fit for ministry.”
Deacon Jaques was ordained in 2000. He retired in 2015. According to archdiocesan records, he served at Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Paul and St. Odilia in Shoreview. According to Paul Iovino, deputy director of the archdiocese’s Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment, the deacon also said he ministered at Incarnation/Sagrado Corazón in Minneapolis.
“The steps being taken by the Archdiocese are neither a presumption nor a determination of guilt,” Archbishop Hebda said. “During the investigation, Deacon Jaques will not be permitted to exercise public ministry.”
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