MINNESOTA
Minnesota Public Radio

Matt Sepic St. Paul · Jul 12, 2015

The interim leader of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis received a warm welcome from Catholics Sunday, as he celebrated his first mass at the Cathedral of Saint Paul.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Newark, N.J., is overseeing the archdiocese until Pope Francis appoints a replacement for John Nienstedt, who resigned as archbishop last month.

Hebda comes to the archdiocese as it faces bankruptcy and criminal charges related to clergy sex abuse.

In his homily, Hebda said the church will not be judged in the long term on how it handles court cases and finances, but on how it adheres to its primary mission.

“We should have the joy that comes from always knowing that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel, that our struggles are not in vain, and that Christ and his church…