At an emotional news conference Monday, church officials and sexual abuse survivors along with their lawyers shared a public platform to make this significant announcement.

This announcement is a positive one for all involved, but especially so for the sexual abuse survivors of the church in Minnesota.

“We’ve come forward together today because we’ve forged a new way,” said plaintiff’s attorney Jeff Anderson.

Church officials apologized Monday saying they were sorry the abuse happen and that it should not have happen.

Among the agreement’s 17-step child-protection protocol plan, the church has agreed to the following:

* Upgrade its reporting of clergy sexual abuse requiring mandatory reporting to police.

* Change how such reports are investigated.

* Change how it responds to sexual abuse victims.

* Release in the near future additional names of priests accused of sexual abuse.

* Each clergy member will be required to sign statements saying he has not abused any minor at any time.

The archdiocese has hired a former head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to handle sexual abuse allegations.

The pending resolution of many sexual abuse claims against the archdiocese still has to be determined. A settlement with John Doe #1 in a lawsuit against the Winona Archdiocese has been reached.

This historic agreement will help the church begin to resolve the many issues of the clergy sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic church in Minnesota and help rebuild the trust with its clergy and faithful followers.

More importantly, the survivors can now begin and/or continue to heal, re-establish their trust levels and move on with their lives.

This was the right step for all.