MINNESOTA
KAAL
By: Scott Theisen
Archbishop John Nienstedt, the head of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, is being investigated for allegations of sexual misconduct, including claims that he made unwanted sexual advances toward a former Twin Cities priest, according to a report posted online Tuesday by Commonweal Magazine.
Jennifer Haselberger, the archbishop’s former top canon lawyer, told Commonweal the archbishop is under investigation for “multiple allegations” of inappropriate sexual conduct with seminarians, priests, and other men.
Nienstedt denies the allegations and says the archdiocese is conducting an internal investigation into them.
“These allegations are absolutely and entirely false. Nonetheless, I ordered Bishop Lee Piché to oversee an independent, thorough investigation and that he hire an outside firm unaffiliated with the Archdiocese to conduct the investigation,” Nienstedt said in a statement Tuesday.
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