Statement of Road to Recovery, Inc.

Road to Recovery
June 15, 2015

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AbuseTracker/road-to-recovery.org

REGARDING THE RESIGNATION OF ARCHBISHOP JOHN NIENSTEDT OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST. PAUL-MINNEAPOLIS AND THE APPOINTMENT OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY CO-ADJUTOR ARCHBISHOP BERNARD HEBDA AS TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATOR

Monday, June 15, 2015

It appears that the re-arrangement of the deck chairs on the Titanic continues in the Catholic Church with no indication that the Titanic is essentially being righted so the ship can sail in calm waters. Of course, the resignation of Archbishop John Nienstedt is welcome news. Archbishop Nienstedt did nothing but add to the pain and distress of sexual abuse victims and their advocates. With his background as an alleged sexual abuser in such places as a Detroit seminary and his less than ethical character as a member of the Church’s hierarchy, Archbishop Nienstedt never should have been appointed to the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis. His tenure was nothing but disgraceful. But that could be said for hundreds of other bishops, and the ship continues to sink while the chairs are being re-arranged.

The Vatican has chosen to take one of the Titanic “chairs” from the Newark Archdiocese to be the temporary administrator of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese. Co-adjutor Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who was scheduled to succeed the disgraced Newark Archbishop John Myers when he submits his retirement letter in 2016, is now headed to Minnesota to occupy that Archdiocese’s seat, at least temporarily. In much the same way that Bishop Joseph Galante (Camden, New Jersey) asked out of the Diocese of Dallas, TX when he was co-adjutor bishop because he couldn’t get along with former Dallas Bishop Charles Grahmann, it is clear that Archbishop Bernard Hebda had had it with Archbishop John Myers and his lack of leadership in the Archdiocese of Newark. It was a perfect pretext to re-arrange the chairs in two sinking ships. We don’t foresee Archbishop Hebda ever becoming the Archbishop of Newark and believe he will stay in the Midwest.

What does all this mean? It means that Pope Francis is trying, but it might be too late. The Church continues to sink under the weight of its own corruption and mismanagement, and nothing but a full-scale abandonment of structures and policies and that created this mess will change things. The hierarchy of the Church has to go, with a more democratic and people-centered organization taking its place.

Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D.

Road to Recovery, Inc.

P.O. Box 279

Livingston, NJ 07039

862-368-2800