Winona diocese responds to court ruling

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Diocese of Winona says it's pleased with the Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that rejected a clergy abuse lawsuit by a man whose case rested on a repressed memory claim.

In a statement released Thursday, the diocese says it's committed to ensuring the safety of children and young people at its parishes, schools and other programs.

James Keenan of Savage sued the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona, alleging abuse in the 1980s by Thomas Adamson, a priest who is now defrocked. Keenan brought his claim outside the statute of limitations but argued that it should be allowed because he repressed memories of the abuse. A district court rejected that claim, but the state Court of Appeals revived it.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with the district court's finding.