MINNESOTA
Minnesota Public Radio
Concentrated power, poor oversight and little communication with the faithful are among serious shortcomings inside the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that opened the door “for some priests to harm children,” a panel ordered by the archbishop said Monday.
“Behavioral warning signs were minimized or inappropriately rationalized,” the task force said, adding the archdiocese also has a “confusing and inadequate” system to report complaints of sexual abuse of children.
The report calls for a system overhaul in how complaints are received and accused priests monitored. It also calls for a single clergy review board, with lay people in the majority, to receive and review all allegations of clergy misconduct.
“Despite Archdiocesan policies and procedures designed to protect against clergy sexual abuse of minors, a flawed organizational structure with little oversight and accountability created opportunities” for some priests to abuse children, the report released Monday said.
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