MINNESOTA
Minnesota Public Radio
AP
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis remains in compliance with its agreement with prosecutors to take a series of affirmative steps to protect children from sexual abuse, officials said.
Church officials and prosecutors reached a settlement last December calling for substantial cultural changes within the church after the archdiocese was accused of mishandling an abuse case involving former priest Curtis Wehmeyer. Church officials provided an update on their progress Tuesday to Ramsey County Chief Judge Teresa Warner, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.
Two church officials who deal with child protection told Warner that nearly 90,000 adults have undergone background checks and training on how to ensure that children are safe in church-related settings. The 187 parishes, 92 schools and two seminaries that belong to the archdiocese are required to comply with the settlement.
“So we have 90,000 sets of eyes and ears out there watching to make sure kids are safe,” said Timothy O’Malley, the archdiocese’s director of ministerial standards and safe environment.
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