MINNESOTA
WDAY
[Affidavit of Thomas E. Ring – Redacted
July 7, 2014 Memo]
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis publicly admitted wrongdoing for the way it handled sexual abuse allegations against a former priest, while prosecutors dropped criminal charges that alleged the archdiocese turned a blind eye to repeated misconduct by the defrocked cleric.
“I stand before you to say we have failed,” said Archbishop Bernard Hebda.
“We pledge to move forward openly, collaboratively and humbly… always mindful of our past. We will never forget,” he said.
The admission was part of an agreement in a lawsuit that calls for Archbishop Bernard Hebda to personally participate in at least three and likely more restorative justice sessions with abuse victims. The archbishop took the unusual step of attending the Wednesday hearing where the agreement was announced.
Ramsey County prosecutors filed civil and criminal charges against the archdiocese last year. The six gross misdemeanor child endangerment charges against the archdiocese involved Curtis Wehmeyer, who is serving prison time for molesting two boys in Minnesota and a third in Wisconsin.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.