MINNESOTA
Huffington Post
[with video]
There have been 18 lawsuits filed against members of the Minnesota Catholic clergy since May, when state law was changed to give abuse victims a three-year window to bring lawsuits that were previously barred by a statute of limitations. Many of the suits also point the finger at the archdiocese, which has a lot to explain when it comes to the alleged cover-ups that took place.
It’s not just the victims who are speaking out about this issue. The Rev. Stephen O’Gara, a popular priest from St. Paul, stepped up to demand accountability from the diocese, criticizing Archbishop Nienstedt for his handling of sex abuse scandals in the clergy in a scathing sermon, which you can listen to above.
O’Gara said on Sunday:
He needs to stand before us and explain himself. Only then will we have the respect called to his office. It’s about arrogance, and we all fall victim to arrogance in some degree or in some place in our lives. But this is more. This is not some small matter. This is a big deal. It’s the first time, I must say, in 69 years that I’m embarrassed to be Catholic.
On Tuesday an unnamed Minnesota woman sued the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for allegedly “failing to protect her from an abusive priest, reports Minnesota Public Radio.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.