Pope Francis accepted the resignations on June 15 of Archbishop John C. Nienstedt and Auxiliary Bishop Lee A. Piche of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. In a statement, Archbishop Nienstedt said he hopes his resignation might “give the archdiocese a new beginning amidst the many challenges we face.” He said, “My leadership has unfortunately drawn away from the good works of this church and those who perform them.” On June 5, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office filed criminal and civil charges against the archdiocese, alleging that it failed to protect three boys who were sexually abused in 2008-10 by Curtis Wehmeyer, a former priest of the archdiocese. Wehmeyer was convicted of the abuse and is serving a five-year prison sentence. He was dismissed from the priesthood in March. Archbishop Nienstedt said, “I leave with a clear conscience knowing that my team and I have put in place solid protocols to ensure protection of minors and vulnerable adults.”
Two Bishops of the Twin Cities Resign
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