No Resignation for Nienstedt . . . but Perhaps an Upcoming "Reassignment"?

In a statement published yesterday on the website of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, John C. Nienstedt declares that, despite calls for his resignation, he will not be stepping down as archbishop.

At one point in his statement Nienstedt says:

In the end, it comes down to this: 18 years ago, Pope John Paul II chose me to serve the Church as a bishop, an authentic successor of the apostles. A bishop’s role is more like that of a father of a family than that of a CEO. I am bound to continue in my office as long as the Holy Father has appointed me here.

There is much in these words that I find problematic, but what particularly strikes me is how Nienstedt appears to place more value on being an unquestioning office holder than a self-reflective human being. Indeed, he comes across as an individual who struggles to think and feel beyond the demands and expectations of the office to which he is "bound," regardless of what this might mean for himself, others and the church. Such rigidity (along with its bolstering triumphalism) is quite at odds with the model of leadership embodied by Jesus.

Of course, the whole clerical system of which the office of bishop is part supports Nienstedt in this narrow and entrenched way of operating. This system, after all, is a feudal one. Orders come down from the top and people are not encouraged to think for themselves. The vast majority stick to the rules, follow orders, and value unquestioning obedience above thoughtful engagement and openness to growth and change. And here's something else about the system that is conveyed through Nienstedt's statement: more often than not, when faced with legitimate questions and critiques, the church's clerical caste engenders an unwarranted (and, quite frankly, pathetic) martyr mentality in its members.

It also doesn't really allow for someone like Nienstedt to resign. He could, of course, write to the holder of the same office that appointed him as bishop and ask to be released from his duties. Yet it seems fairly unlikely that he will initiate such a process. Another possibility is that Pope Francis may intervene and "reassign" Nienstedt elsewhere. In a system as dysfunctional as the Roman Catholic clerical caste, such reassignment is often the closest thing to a reprimand or punishment, even if it does mean that the cleric in question lands a cushy job in Rome.

As odious as this is, my sense is that for a significant number of Catholics such a "reassignment" would be tolerable if it means Nienstedt's removal from the archdiocese.

To express your concerns about Archbishop Nienstedt and to add your voice to the call for his removal, write to the papal nuncio to the U.S., Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò at 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008.

Also, to get involved with the Catholic Coalition for Church Reform's efforts to ensure a lay voice in the selection of Nienstedt's successor, click here.


Update on the allegations of misconduct

Meanwhile, the Star Tribune reports today that Greene Espel, the Minneapolis law firm hired by the archdiocese to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct with adults by Nienstedt, has completed its work and submitted a report to church officials. Attorney Matthew Forsgren of Greene Espel has declined to discuss the findings and referred questions to the archdiocese. Lee Piche, auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese, said in a statement on Tuesday that the report “does not comprise” the entire investigation.

“We need to digest the information and any other information we receive,” said Piche, who, according the the Star Tribune, was not available to answer questions.

Notes the Star Tribune:

The law firm’s probe had been a secret until a Catholic magazine wrote a blog item about it in late June. The magazine, Commonweal, quoted Nienstedt’s former canon lawyer, Jennifer Haselberger, as saying she had been interviewed by Greene Espel lawyers.

Haselberger told the magazine that the archdiocese received allegations of improper sexual conduct by Nienstedt with seminarians, priests and other men. She said the archbishop also was accused of retaliating against those who refused his advances or otherwise questioned his conduct.

The allegations appear to stem as far back as the 1980s and 1990s, when Nienstedt was working in the Archdiocese of Detroit.

But Haselberger also told Commonweal that investigators asked her about Nienstedt’s relationship with Curtis Wehmeyer, a former St. Paul priest with a history of sexual misconduct when Nienstedt promoted him to be a pastor. In that assignment on St. Paul’s East Side, Wehmeyer was convicted of sexually abusing two boys in 2012 who attended his church.

In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio's Madeline Baran, Nienstedt spoke about the allegations and his sexual orientation. Following is an excerpt from Baran's MPR News article based on her interview with the archbishop.

"It is not true," Nienstedt said, of the claims that he engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with other men.

He said the investigation began with a rumor in early December 2013 "around the time that the other false accusation was made against me," a reference to the police investigation into whether Nienstedt touched a boy's backside at a public event. The police investigation ended without charges.

"All of a sudden it seemed like rumors and innuendos were coming out of the woodwork, and I didn't have anything to hide," Nienstedt said. "I know that I've not done anything immoral or criminal or anything of that nature, and so when this came to the attention of my staff, they said, 'Well, we should probably investigate it. We would with any priest.' And I said sure, I have nothing to hide."

. . . Nienstedt said he's not sexually attracted to men.

"And I also want to say that I'm not anti-gay. A lot of the feedback I got during the marriage amendment was the fact that I was a bigot and I was a homophobe, and all this kind of stuff," he said. "I respect every person, man, woman, and child, for their dignity and a son and daughter of God, but no, I'm not struggling with those attractions."

Nienstedt said he thinks the allegations against him are part of an attempt to discredit him for preaching the Catholic faith.

UPDATES:

• 6/15/15 – Archbishop Nienstedt Resigns

• 6/15/15 – CCCR Responds to Archbishop Nienstedt's Resignation

• 6/16/15 – And What of the Investigation into Archbishop Nienstedt's Alleged "Sexual Improprieties"?

Related Off-site Links:
Nienstedt Defends His Decisions; Says He'll Continue to Lead Twin Cities Archdiocese – Madeleine Baran (Minnesota Public Radio News, July 30, 2014).
Nienstedt Won't Resign – Jean Hopfensperger (Star Tribune, July 30, 2014).
Archbishop Says He Didn't Mismanage Abuse Scandal – Amy Forliti (Associated Press via Yahoo! News, July 31, 2014).
To Heal the Church, Nienstedt Must Resign – The Editorial Board (Star Tribune, July 26, 2014).
Archbishop Nienstedt Needs to Go. Now. – Rubén Rosario (Pioneer Press, July 18, 2014).
Holding Church Shepherds Accountable – The Editorial Board (New York Times, July 17, 2014).
Betrayed by Silence: How Three Archbishops Hid the Truth – Madeleine Baran (Minnesota Public Radio News, July 14, 2014).
In the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, "Regime Change is Not Enough" – Bob Beutel (The Progressive Catholic Voice, November 10, 2013).
Healing Can’t Start Until the Knife is Removed from the Wound – The Editorial Team (The Progressive Catholic Voice, November 5, 2013).
Bishop Selection: Calling Forth Our Leadership – The Catholic Coalition for Church Reform.

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
It's Time for Nienstedt to Resign
Has Archbishop Nienstedt's "Shadow" Finally Caught Up With Him?
Roman Catholicism's Fundamental Problem: The Cultic Priesthood and Its "Diseased System" of Clericalism
Time for a Fresh Start in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis
In the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, the Unravelment Continues
Paul Lakeland on How the Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal Reveals a Crisis of Leadership