MINNESOTA
Pioneer Press
By AMY FORLITI Associated Press
POSTED: 10/23/2013
MINNEAPOLIS—The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis made serious mistakes in the way it handled allegations of clergy sexual misconduct in the last decade, Archbishop John Nienstedt acknowledged Thursday as he announced he has ordered an external review of all priest files.
Nienstedt apologized to victims in a column posted on the website of The Catholic Spirit, the archdiocese’s official newspaper, and said he knows the ultimate responsibility is his as head of the local church.
“My heart is heavy with the agony that these errors have caused,” he wrote.
The archdiocese has come under fire since a former employee claimed church leaders mishandled abuse allegations. Nienstedt’s top deputy has stepped down, police are investigating, and there have been public calls for Nienstedt to resign. …
David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said Nienstedt’s words are just more of the same and any external review would not be independent if ordered by the archbishop.
“Nothing he can say will matter. Only what he does matters,” Clohessy said. “And today he exposes no predators, disciplines no enablers, reveals no secrets, and deters no cover ups. It’s just more promises from a bishop who has repeatedly broken promises.”
Clohessy said secrecy is a key part of the problem. His group has called for the archdiocese to make public a list of 33 priests it has identified as having credible allegations of abuse lodged against them.
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