MINNESOTA
Star Tribune
By Jenna Ross Star Tribune JULY 23, 2016
A board that reviews troubled Catholic priests in the Twin Cities archdiocese — once faulted for being insular and ineffective — has a new makeup and a high-profile member: Patty Wetterling, the state’s best-known advocate for child safety.
Wetterling’s reputation, built on her work since her 11-year-old son Jacob was abducted in 1989, adds another layer of credibility to the archdiocese’s Ministerial Review Board as it grapples with the aftermath of a clergy abuse scandal.
“A lot went wrong,” Wetterling said by phone last week. She is optimistic about the “intent and structure” of the board, she said, which is “trying to ensure that the church is doing all that it says it’s doing going forward.”
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi touted Wetterling’s appointment at a news conference Wednesday announcing that his office was dropping criminal charges against the archdiocese. He also announced he was releasing documents showing an effort to quash an investigation into alleged sexual improprieties by former Archbishop John Nienstedt.
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