MINNESOTA
Star Tribune
Article by: JOHN C. NIENSTEDT Updated: August 1, 2014
It is clear that we did not always handle abuse complaints as we should have, but I take responsibility for leading our local church to a new and better day.
To say that this has been a difficult year is quite an understatement. Here in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Catholics have witnessed many troubling media reports, and many of us have had difficult conversations with friends and family about what it means to be Catholic and why we still profess the faith. I, myself, have been the subject of two investigations, which have brought with them more public scrutiny. I have received messages calling me a hypocrite, a domineering boss and a liar. Others have written that I am a courageous moral leader and a true shepherd. I am grateful to everyone who has taken the time to write.
In the end, it comes down to this: Eighteen years ago, Pope John Paul II chose me to serve the church as a bishop, an authentic successor of the Apostles. A bishop’s role is more like that of a father of a family than that of a CEO. I am bound to continue in my office as long as the Holy Father has appointed me here. I have acknowledged my responsibility in the current crisis we face, and I also take responsibility for leading our archdiocese to a new and better day.
I can only speak for myself and my actions, not the words or actions of others. Over the last year, I have re-examined the words I have spoken and the actions I have, or have not, taken, and I want to share this:
(1) I have created a new leadership team that operates under the philosophy of “Victims First.”
I have empowered a new team of bishops, parish and religious order priests, archdiocesan employees, lay Catholics and non-Catholics to assist me and provide consultation. They continually operate from the perspective of how we can best help victims of sexual abuse and their families. To make sure we retain this focus, I am hiring a new victims’ liaison, a lay professional who will serve as a continuous voice for victims on my consultation team. We have reached out to survivors of sexual abuse and have asked them to share their advice and insight as we continue addressing the recommendations made by the Safe Environment and Ministerial Standards Task Force. “Victims First” has become more than a philosophy; it has become standard operating procedure.
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