MINNESOTA
Washington Post
Affidavit of Thomas E. Ring – Redacted
July 7, 2014 Memo
By Steve Karnowski | AP July 21
MINNEAPOLIS — Lawyers investigating a Minnesota archbishop in 2014 found compelling and credible allegations from nearly a dozen people that he engaged in sexual misconduct and harassment, then retaliated when his advances were rejected, according to an internal church document made public this week.
Although Archbishop John Nienstedt eventually stepped down under fire as head of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, he remains a priest in good standing and less than two weeks ago led Masses at a conservative Catholic leadership conference in California.
The July 2014 memo came from the Rev. Daniel Griffith, a key archdiocese leader for ensuring the safety of children. Minnesota prosecutors released it Wednesday as part of an update on civil and criminal cases against the archdiocese over its handling of clergy abuse cases.
Nienstedt became the subject of an investigation into his own conduct in February 2014 as he was under fire for his handling of a priest who would eventually go to prison and be kicked out of the priesthood for molesting three boys.
In his memo, Griffith raised concerns that Nienstedt’s “social relationship” with that priest, the Rev. Curtis Wehmeyer, had clouded his judgment.
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