MINNESOTA
Star Tribune

Archbishop John Nienstedt has been accused of inappropriately touching a boy, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis announced Tuesday. Nienstedt will remove himself immediately from public ministry while the matter is investigated.

A statement released Tuesday morning said, “An allegation has been brought by a mandated reporter within the Church to the St. Paul Police of inappropriate touching of a minor male on the buttocks by Archbishop John Nienstedt. The single incident is alleged to have occurred in 2009 during a group photography session with the archbishop following a confirmation ceremony.

“Archbishop Nienstedt emphatically denies the allegation.”

The statement said that upon learning of the allegation last week, the archdiocese instructed the mandated reporter to make the matter known to the police.

“The archbishop and the archdiocese stand ready to cooperate fully with the St. Paul Police,” the statement said.

The archdiocese has been rocked…