MINNESOTA
Star Tribune
By Jean Hopfensperger Star Tribune FEBRUARY 22, 2016
Twin Cities archdiocese leaders met with parishioners at St. William’s Church in Fridley Sunday, following last week’s announcement that their priest is under investigation for possible possession of child pornography.
The priest was temporarily removed from ministry Thursday after Edina police searched his home. He is not identified by the Star Tribune because he has not been arrested or charged. According to a search warrant affidavit, he admitted to police he had viewed pornography on his computer.
Auxiliary bishop Andrew Cozzens and Tim O’Malley, the archdiocese’s head of child safety standards, answered questions about future operations of the church and why the archdiocese didn’t tell parishioners sooner about the investigation. The Edina police met with officials of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Feb. 6; parishioners were notified Friday.
“I explained the situation that … as requested by Edina Police Department, we did not take action that could have interfered with that investigation,” O’Malley said. O’Malley, a former chief of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said the archdiocese followed its new child safety protocols.
An Edina police spokesperson confirmed the request.
With no parish priest, St. William’s parishioners found Cozzens celebrating two Sunday masses and participating in an informational meeting in the sanctuary Sunday afternoon.
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