Nienstedt Says Mistakes Were Made, Offers Apology

WJON
October 24, 2013

http://wjon.com/nienstedt-says-mistakes-were-made-offers-apology/

[Archbishop Addresses Media Questions - St. Paul and Minneapolis archdiocese]

St. Paul Archbishop John Nienstedt acknowledges “some serious” mistakes have been made in the way the archdiocese handled allegations of clergy sexual misconduct over the last decade, and he pledges new steps to protect the faithful.

Nienstedt made the comments in a column posted Thursday on the website of The Catholic Spirit, the archdiocese’s official newspaper.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has been under fire since a whistleblower went public with claims that church leaders mishandled abuse allegations. Nienstedt has denied interview requests from The Associated Press.

Nienstedt writes in his column that there’s a question about the “prudence of the judgments that have been made.”

Nienstedt also apologizes to victims and pledges to do more. Among new steps, he’s ordered an outside review of all priest files.