. . . We trust that even if he is not charged with a crime, Archbishop John C. Nienstedt will step down from the role of Archbishop for which he is not suited. If he were to emerge from the clerical culture, there are many roles in which he could serve admirably.
We trust that after John Nienstedt’s resignation, the Task Force will design and implement a working procedure for removing immature men from the priesthood and putting them in safe environments.
We trust that Pope Francis, as a first step, will instruct his U.S. delegate to seek recommendations from all the people in this archdiocese in replacing the Archbishop. We hope that he will continue that practice in each diocese when appointing leadership for them.
Who knows what other reforms could follow?
– The Editorial Team of The Progressive Catholic Voice
(Paula Ruddy, Mary Beckfeld, and Michael Bayly)
"Can the Archdiocese Continue Under the Leadership
of John C. Nienstedt?"
October 20, 2013
(Paula Ruddy, Mary Beckfeld, and Michael Bayly)
"Can the Archdiocese Continue Under the Leadership
of John C. Nienstedt?"
October 20, 2013
See also the previous Wild Reed post:
In the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, the Unravelment Continues
Related Off-site Links:
Retired Archbishop Harry Flynn Resigns from St. Thomas Trustees – Madeleine Baran (Minnesota Public Radio, October 19, 2013).
Could Archbishop Nienstedt Face Charges or Lose His Job? – Beth Hawkins (MinnPost, October 14, 2013).
Archdiocese of Wobegon – Grant Gallicho (Commonweal, October 14, 2013).
Under Fire, Archbishop Nienstedt Scrambles to Respond – Jean Hopfensperger (Star Tribune, October 6, 2013).
Minnesota Archdiocese Accused of Withholding Child Porn from Police – Joe Winter (National Catholic Reporter, October 4, 2013).
Archdiocese Hid Hugo Priest's Child Porn Stash, St. Paul Police Say – Emily Gurnon (Pioneer Press, October 4, 2013).
Former Official: Archdiocese Didn't Report Priest's Pornography – Madeleine Baran and Mike Cronin (Minnesota Public Radio, October 4, 2013).
Rev. Peter Laird, Top Deputy of Archdiocese, Resigns – Madeleine Baran and Rupa Shenoy (Minnesota Public Radio, October 3, 2013).
"Trust Your Shepherds" – Rev. Michael Tegeder (The Progressive Catholic Voice, September 26, 2013).
Archdiocese Knew of Priest's Sexual Misbehavior, Yet Kept Him in Ministry – Madeleine Baran (Minnesota Public Radio, September 23, 2013).
UPDATES: Twin Cities Archdiocese Delays $160 Million Capital Campaign – Tom Scheck (Minnesota Public Radio, October 22, 2013).
Pastor Calls for 'Fresh Start in Leadership' for Catholic Archdiocese Over Sex Abuse Cases – Beth Hawkins (MinnPost, October 22, 2013).
Archdiocese's Priest Pension-Fund Policy Gives Some Abusers Bigger Checks Than Typical Clerical Retirees – Beth Hawkins (MinnPost, October 23, 2013).
Nienstedt Responds: "There Are No Offending Priests in Active Ministry" – Madeleine Baran (Minnesota Public Radio, October 23, 2013).
October 23, 2013.
My Pledge to Restore Trust – Archbishop John C. Nienstedt (The Catholic Spirit, October 24, 2013).
Archbishop Nienstedt Apologizes to Victims of Clergy Sex Abuse – Beth Hawkins (MinnPost, October 24, 2013).
Catholic Coalition for Church Reform Votes No Confidence in the Leadership of Archbishop John C. Nienstedt – The Progressive Catholic Voice (October 24, 2013).
Wide-Ranging Reaction to Nienstedt Apology: Praise, Gratitude – and More Calls for Resignation – Beth Hawkins (MinnPost, October 25, 2013).
Michael, I know that unless our conceptualization of the priesthood changes, and Holy Orders is allowed to go off into the sunset, Catholicism will repeat and repeat this same kind of thing over and over. Jesus did not ordain anybody. He stressed the baptism of the faithful and so did His immediate followers.
ReplyDeleteCatholicism must stop basing it's authority on the Roman military model. Otherwise Catholicism will die as a meaningful and spiritually potent belief system. This will happen sooner rather than later. The globally connected world is moving very very fast and old concepts in all patriarchal religions have a very short life time relative to their ages long history. Mankind is moving forward to a world view that was never conceived of by the Church Fathers. It's time to recognize that fact.
Well said, Colleen!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to see the PCC call for Nienstedt to step down.
ReplyDeleteEven if everything on the priest's PC was legal, it still screams out why would Nienstedt keep a priest that will have access to children when the erotica that the priest is viewing/downloading are pictures that depict an adult with a "youth/child" (again even if the "models" in the pictures are over 18---and therefore legal to possess)situation.
Flynn and then Nienstedt should have turned over the computer immediately to the police to make the legal deciesion about the age of the "models" and then Flynn/Niestedt should have been the adult, and pulled the priest from parish work.
This needs to stop and they need to start calling the police.
ReplyDeleteMark