MINNESOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Friday, Jan. 16, 2015

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

Archbishop John Nienstedt is exploiting secular bankruptcy laws to protect himself and his top aides from embarrassment and inconvenience. This decision is not about money, it’s about selfishness.

It’s no coincidence that Nienstedt does this on the eve of three trials at which dreadfully damaging testimony by a range of victims, witnesses and whistleblowers would have been laid bare for the public to see. That’s almost always the way Catholic church bankruptcy filings happen.

Nienstedt will say it’s about helping to make sure everyone gets paid. But it’s really about making sure he and his colleagues get off the hook, avoiding having to answer tough questions in open court about…