Why should Nienstedt go -- or stay? Readers add voices to fray

By Ruben Rosario
Pioneer Press
July 24, 2014

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_26212225/why-should-nienstedt-go-or-stay-readers-add

Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, photographed in 2010.

Last week I wrote a piece calling for Archbishop John Nienstedt to step down or be removed from his position. I will not repeat here the arguments I made. You can look up the column, which coincidentally was posted online the same day a blogger for the National Catholic Reporter also called for his resignation and a New York Times editorial urged Pope Francis to reconsider Nienstedt's fitness to serve. But essentially, the mishandling of recent clergy abuse cases in the Twin Cities archdiocese warrants his resignation.

My reasons have nothing to do with previous allegations that he inappropriately touched a minor during a confirmation ceremony. My gut told me that was bogus, and cops later determined there was insufficient evidence to warrant charges.

There's an internal church probe now into allegations that Nienstedt had inappropriate relationships with seminarians and others dating from the time he worked in Detroit. That also has little to do with my feelings since the investigation continues. Others within the church wanted him out after his somewhat obsessive and much-politicized crusade two years ago to support a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

Using donated money, he signed off on an expensive campaign in 2010 to mail a DVD explaining his and the church's views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. The DVD was sent to 400,000 Catholic households in the state. I got one. I saw it. I don't know where that DVD is now, but I think I tossed it. I thought Nienstedt and others of like mind in the church crossed the separation-of-church-and-state line into politicking from the pulpit.

But that wasn't it either, though I predicted the crusade would backfire, as it did. The main reason is that the mishandlings put children and adults at risk, violated a 2002 churchwide policy on reporting abuse to authorities, and eventually led to the molestations of two St. Paul boys, reportedly one of whom went on to abuse a sister, by a parish priest already known for his sexual proclivities.

Nienstedt has many supporters. They believe he brought back a much-needed conservatism and fire-and-brimstone approach. Many think he and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis are victims of a news media witch hunt greatly aided by the wave of lawsuits filed recently and through the years on behalf of child-abuse victims by St. Paul attorney Jeffrey Anderson.

Not surprisingly, I got quite a few responses to last week's column. Most sided with me, but there were also strenuous disagreements. The following are but a handful of emails I received:

"You are ignorant and (Jennifer) Haselberger (former chancellor for canonical affairs who revealed the mishandlings after she resigned in 2013) hates the church for some reason," wrote one reader. "There are a lot of people who want the Archbishop to 'go' because of his conservatism, particularly his support for traditional marriage. Don't be another hater."

"It is you and people like you who should resign from the Church," fumed one letter writer from Woodbury. "I feel sick every time you and one of your ilk refer to themselves as 'Catholics.' I feel sullied and fouled by associating yourselves with my most basic beliefs."

A frequent letter writer to me and the Pioneer Press snapped: "I wonder if you would also have been on the top of the list asking Peter to resign as head of the church? I am also sure that your choice to replace our Archbishop would be infinitely better than Christ's."

To be fair, I replied and thanked him for always counting on him to make "asinine" remarks. I meant that in a Christian way. Maybe I'll get a few extra Hail Marys as contrition at the next confession.

"I have been a member of the Cathedral of St Paul for 13 years," wrote another reader. "All of this breaks my heart but I agree with you. It is time to really clean house. I get sick to my stomach every time I turn on the news and hear how my church has deceived us."

"As someone brought up a Catholic, and educated in the Catholic system, I am disgusted that Nienstedt continues in office," a reader said in another email. "Certainly, under the Bishops' protocol, this is an individual who should have been suspended months ago. Until the public assumes responsibility for speaking of compromised leaders, as you do, we suffer."

"I agree with your view that the CEO of any organization in which such malfeasance was discovered would be compelled to resign," a reader wrote. "A clean sweep is needed, replacing all the decision makers with fresh faces."