Father Mark Huberty, a former pastor of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Maplewood, was removed from ministry Oct. 20, according to a statement from Archbishop Bernard Hebda, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. In 2013, the priest was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual misconduct with an adult woman.
A Ramsey County jury acquitted him of the charges in December 2014. The archdiocese’s Office of Ministerial Standards investigated further, and the Ministerial Review Board “found that there was sufficient evidence to suggest [Father] Huberty may have committed a serious offense under canon law,” according to the statement.
The board recommended the case “be resolved through a canonical process so that the truth of the matter may be determined and an appropriate penalty, if any, may be imposed.”
During the canonical process, Father Huberty is prohibited from priestly ministry or presenting himself publicly as a priest.
“Removing a priest from ministry, even temporarily, is gravely serious to me and to the Church,” Archbishop Hebda said. “Imposition of these precautionary measures reflects the seriousness of this matter, but should not be viewed as a presumption of guilt. [Father] Huberty is to be accorded the presumption of innocence during this time.”
