Nienstedt Homily: Catholic Bishops Have Failed

The Seattle Pi
December 14, 2013

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Nienstedt-homily-Catholic-bishops-have-failed-5065285.php

EDINA, Minn. (AP) — Archbishop John Nienstedt acknowledges that Catholic bishops have failed in their response to the clergy-abuse crisis, according to prepared remarks he's scheduled to give during a homily Sunday in Edina.

The comments come a few weeks after the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis released a list of abusive priests in response to a court order. The list named 34 priests accused of sexually abusing minors.

Nienstedt said news reports of the abuse "have rightly been met with shame, embarrassment and outrage," in part because of the heinous acts of those who had taken priestly vows, but also because bishops failed to remove them from ministry.

The homily was sent in advance to clergy throughout the archdiocese, Minneapolis Public Radio reported (http://bit.ly/19Kbav9 ). The remarks don't say which bishops failed to remove abusive priests.

The Twin Cities archbishop has refused to talk to reporters since the scandal broke. He has also made few public appearances, prompting frustrated priests to urge him to address parishioners who are upset by the failure of leaders to report alleged sex crimes to police.

In his prepared remarks, Nienstedt apologizes to parishioners "for the indignation that you justifiably feel. You deserve better."

But he also defends his response to the crisis, noting that most of the abuse took place decades ago. He says he cites that fact not to excuse the actions or diminish the harm to victims, but to demonstrate that progress is being made.

"There is reason, even now, to be hopeful," the remarks say.