Priest ordered to register as sex offender at sentencing

A former Glenwood priest found guilty in December of five misdemeanor counts of invasion of privacy received a suspended prison sentence Friday and was ordered to register as a sex offender.

Rev. Paul Monahan, 83, received a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail for each count to be served concurrently, one year of probation and to register as a sex offender for 10 years. His sentence was handed down by Associate Judge Gary Anderson.

The charges against Monahan stemmed from an incident at a high school track meet last April and involved five male students from one of the participating schools.

At a bench trial in November, the students testified Monahan entered the restroom at the track meet nine  times. On one occasion, they stated he took a position at a urinal next to one of the teens despite others being open. The students said Monahan then stepped back and looked down to view their genitals.

A physician testified that Monahan’s frequent visits to the restroom were the result of a medical condition and several character witnesses testified on Monahan’s behalf.

Monahan, ordained as a priest in 1960, has served at several parishes and schools in the Des Moines Diocese. He was a popular pastor at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Glenwood from 1994-2004. He’s also been a principal and chaplain at St. Albert Catholic School.