MINNESOTA
Catholic Culture
By Phil Lawler
Jun 08, 2015
The criminal charges against the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis are very bad news for Archbishop John Nienstedt. He now becomes the American bishop most clearly in the cross-hairs of Church critics; the calls for his resignation will be louder and more frequent.
Like his most recent predecessor on the hot seat, Archbishop Nienstedt has a reputation for stalwart defense of Church teachings. For that reason, some Catholics will be delighted to push for his removal, while others will be inclined to think that the attack against him is ideologically driven.
No doubt there is an ideological tinge to the uproar in Minnesota. But the prosecutor’s charge lists serious problems with the archbishop’s handling of abuse complaints. If Archbishop Nienstedt was ignoring clear evidence of priestly misconduct, he should be held accountable.
Still there’s another element in this story, which has been almost completely ignored by the media in Minnesota. The case that led to the criminal charges—the case of the notorious Father Curtis Wehmeyer—did not arise under Archbishop Nienstedt’s leadership.
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