MINNESOTA/MICHIGAN
Battle Creek Enquirer
DAVID CLOHESSY, GUEST COMMENTARY January 15, 2016
He is accused of making “unwanted sexual advances” toward seminarians, retaliating against one who rebuffed him, interfering with a church sexual misconduct investigation and concealing the crimes of predator priests.
But he’s good enough for western Michigan Catholics, at least in the view of Kalamazoo’s Catholic bishop.
He’s Archbishop John Nienstedt, a Michigan native who is one of only three U.S. prelates to resign from his post because of the church’s abuse and cover-up crisis.
The archdiocese he headed for seven years, St. Paul-Minneapolis, is the first in the nation to be charged with failure to protect children.
Exactly why did Nienstedt step down? Because he won’t talk, nor will his church colleagues in the United States or in Rome, no one really knows.
Was it because his archdiocese faces pending criminal charges for shielding the Rev. Curtis Wehmeyer, who is behind bars now for raping boys?
Or was it because some 10 sworn statements accuse Nienstedt of “sexual impropriety” in his last three assignments,” according to Commonweal, a respected Catholic news source. Most of the accusers are former Michigan seminarians, though there are also allegations of sexual advances toward at least two priests.
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