Louis George Cook
On October 7, 2014 the priest file of Father Louis Cook was released to the public. Along with Cook’s file, the files of thirteen other priests with credible allegations of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Winona were also released. The files were obtained as part of the Doe 1 v. Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona civil lawsuit filed in Ramsey County in May 2013. The lawsuit was made possible due to the Child Victims Act passed by the Minnesota legislature.
Ordained July 14, 1924, Father Louis G. Cook worked in several southern Minnesota cities before his death in November 2004. Cook’s name was released by court order on December 16, 2013 as part of the Doe 1 lawsuit. The Diocese of Winona publicly released the names of 14 priests who were named in the 2004 John Jay Charter Study.
According to documents filed in the lawsuit by the Diocese of Winona on December 16, 2013, Father Louis G. Cook worked in the following parishes:
- 1958 – 1962: St. Mary’s, Winona, MN
- 1962 – 1966: Saint John Vianney, Fairmont, MN
- 1966 – 1969: Mater Dolorosa, Delavan, MN and our Lady of Mount Carmel, Easton, MN
- 1969 – 1970: College of Saint Teresa, Winona, MN
- 1970 – Queen of Angels, Austin, MN
- 1970 – 1976: Holy Trinity, Litomysl, MN
- 1976 – 1982: Crucifixion, La Crescent, MN
- 1982 – 1990: Holy Trinity, Rollingstone, MN and Immaculate Conception, Oak Ridge, MN
- 1990 – 1966: Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Charles, MN and Saint Aloysius, Elba, MN
- 1966 – 2000: Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Charles, MN and Saint Aloysius, Elba, MN
- 2000 – 2004: Saint Augustine, Austin, MN
- 2004: Deceased
Father Louis G. Cook retired to senior priest in 1998 and in 2000 he served several months as administrator of St. Augustine in Austin.