MINNESOTA
Star Tribune
Article by: JEAN HOPFENSPERGER , Star Tribune Updated: April 14, 2014
St. Paul archdiocese’s process for handling sex abuse complaints had “serious shortcomings,” task force says.
A clergy abuse task force created by the St. Paul Minneapolis Archdiocese found “serious shortcomings” in the way the archdiocese handled charges of clergy sex abuse of minors.
“The Archdiocese concentrated too much power in one or two individuals to make decisions regarding allegations of clergy sexual abuse of minors,” said the task force report, released Monday afternoon.
“These individuals were not subject to adequate oversight nor their decisions and actions subject to monitoring and audit. Processes and decisions have appeared secretive and sequestered, even if that was not the intent.”
The task force also found that communication related to child abuse within the Archdiocese, as well as between the archdiocese and its church members and public, “has been inadequate and, at times, nonexistent.”
It also found that the archdioceses’ record-keeping on clergy conduct was not comprehensive and relied on “outdated systems.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.