MINNESOTA
WCCO
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — WCCO-TV has obtained an internal Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis letter saying a high-ranking church leader will personally control what files a task force on clergy sex abuse will have access to.
The letter, from the Reverend Reginald Whitt to all priests in the diocese, says that he will decide which files the task force can look into. Earlier this month, the task force was formed to look into claims of clergy sex abuse and an alleged cover-up by the archdiocese.
However, Whitt’s letter to priests raises questions about whether or not the task force has the ability to operate independently of the archdiocese.
In the Oct. 21 letter, Whitt — a law professor at St. Thomas and the newly-named vicar for ministerial standards – wrote that the task force will be reviewing clergy files as part of the archdiocese’s investigation into clergy sexual misconduct.
“Access to these files,” Whitt wrote, “will be within my control and limited only to what is necessary for the task force to be able to make an informed decision.”
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