Sunday, January 28, 2007
He inspires fear in the church, hope for victims
Kevin Harter in the St. Paul Pioneer Press profiles Jeff Anderson, attorney for plaintiffs in numerous cases involving sexual abuse by clergy.
Decades later, he gave up the booze.
When he was 18, he converted to Catholicism to appease his first wife. While he respected the Catholic faithful and the church's long history of promoting social justice, education and health care, he did not really subscribe to church doctrine.
Looking back, Anderson thinks he was an agnostic then. He sought enlightenment from books, booze and chemicals as a student at the University of Minnesota.
Decades later, he gave up the booze.
Coming clean and getting sober humbled him and changed his spiritual view, but not his tenacity.¶ 1/28/2007 04:19:00 PM
"I no longer am agnostic," Anderson said. "Reflection and prayer are part of my life. My spiritual life is vibrant. And it inspires me. It is part of everything I do."
