MINNESOTA
KTTC
Presbyteral Assembly gives Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis priests a chance to discuss current pressing issues, notably sex abuse scandals
ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) — Just two days after Archbishop John Neinstedt’s resignation, and two weeks after word the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis would face criminal charges for allegedly failing to protect children against sexual predator priests, Neinstedt’s interim replacement came to Rochester to celebrate mass with the priests of the Archdiocese.
Pope Francis himself named Archbishop Bernard Hebda to the position of the Apostolic Administrator of Twin Cities diocese.
Hebda celebrated mass just after 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning with priests gathered at the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Rochester. Most priests, both active in the ministry and retired, gathered for the Presbyteral Assembly of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. This assembly happens every two years in Rochester, and it runs through Thursday.
The assembly is a time of fellowship, and a chance to discuss issues facing priests and their ministries. Reporters weren’t allowed inside the mass on Wednesday morning, and the priests we spoke with preferred not to talk specifics about their meetings.
It’s no question that there’s a lot of pain among leaders of the Church and the priesthood. The lingering question for so many is as follows: How do we move forward in the wake of the sex abuse scandals?
Thanks to the writings of two Minnesota priests in their church bulletins, just this past weekend, we have a better grasp of their thoughts and feelings in this Presbyteral Assembly.
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