The First Step for the Archdiocese

By Esme Murphy
CBS Minnesota
December 7, 2013

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/12/07/esmes-blog-the-first-step-for-the-archdiocese/


The Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul announced a list of 34 priests credibly accused of sexual abuse earlier this week.

Critics said more names should have been on that list, that the Archdiocese was forced to release the names and that without a court order they would not have done so. The skepticism is understandable. Just looking at the list, the number of times accused priests were transferred in an apparent effort to conceal or ignore the problem is chilling.

Archbishop John Nienstedt also announced new policies, including putting names of all those credibly accused in the future on the Archdiocese web site. Nienstedt promised there would also be a press release to help alert the broader community.

The real test will be how the Archdiocese defines credible. Only through a clear path of disclosure, transparency and prioritizing the needs of victims, not their abusers, can the Archdiocese and the Catholic Church regain their own credibility.