Twin Cities archdiocese eyes panel to examine priest misconduct

MINNESOTA
Pioneer Press

Archbishop John Nienstedt has named a law professor who is also a Dominican priest to form a lay task force to investigate new claims of sexual misconduct by priests.

Although Reginald Whitt, one of the founding faculty members of the University of St. Thomas School of Law, will name the lay committee, he won’t serve on it, according to a “Pulpit Announcement” Nienstedt asked his priests to read at church services over the weekend.

“There can be no question: Our standard is — and must always be — zero tolerance for abuse,” Nienstedt wrote in the letter.

He went on to ask that everyone “pray for all victims of sexual misconduct in Church ministry and in our society.”

The announcement did not say how big the task force would be. But it did say it would make recommendations that would be released to the public.

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