"Under oath, whistleblower challenges Archbishop Nienstedt over abuse testimony."

[Htom Sirveaux]

Whistleblower Jennifer Haselberger, whose revelations of a clergy sexual abuse cover-up have rocked the Twin Cities archdiocese for the past 10 months, disputed the sworn testimony of Archbishop John Nienstedt in a damning 107-page affidavit filed as part of an abuse lawsuit Tuesday.

(snip)

Haselberger's sweeping account offers an unprecedented look at how Catholic leaders handled clergy sexual abuse from 2008 to 2013. It appears to provide key evidence to back up Anderson's claim that the archdiocese has continued to put children at risk of sexual assault. And it comes as the archdiocese considers whether to file for bankruptcy as it faces an onslaught of abuse cases allowed under a state law that gives victims more time to sue.

(snip)

Haselberger had warned Nienstedt in 2009 of Wehmeyer's history of sexual interest in younger men, but Nienstedt decided to keep Wehmeyer in ministry and appointed him as pastor of two parishes. Wehmeyer's victims were the sons of an employee at one of those parishes.

(snip)

The archdiocese had violated the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the national document approved by U.S. bishops amid the Boston abuse scandal in 2002. Auditors hired by the Catholic Church after the 2002 scandal "were not ever allowed access to our clergy records to determine if the data matched what we reported.

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/07/15/under-oath-whistleblower-challenges-archbishop

Read the whole article. "Damning" might be an understatement. There are things I appreciate about the Catholic church, like its mystical tradition and respect for philosophy. But this is a disgusting level of corruption.

[edhopper]

1. There are things I appreciate about America

Like their Democracy and Constitution. Doesn't mean I didn't think the previous Pres. and VP shouldn't have been charged with war crimes.

[rug]

2. The 107 page affidavit at the link is worth reading, starting with the first paragraph.

[Htom Sirveaux]

3. Indeed, she is speaking of what she personally knows

and what is relevant to the lawsuit at hand.

[beam me up scottie]

4. Archbishop Nienstedt under scrutiny for same-sex relationships

Report: Minnesota Archbishop Nienstedt under scrutiny for same-sex relationships
By David Gibson

A Roman Catholic archbishop in Minnesota who had been one of the hierarchy’s most vocal opponents of gay rights is the target of an investigation into allegations that he had a series of sexual relationships with priests, seminarians and other men.

The investigation of Twin Cities Archbishop John Nienstedt is being conducted by a prominent Minneapolis law firm hired by the archdiocese after church officials received an allegation against Nienstedt.

The archdiocese confirmed the investigation, which was first reported by Commonweal, a Catholic magazine based in New York.

Nienstedt, 67, said in a separate statement that the allegations “are absolutely and entirely false” and he said he himself authorized the internal investigation, which he called “independent, thorough.”

“The allegations do not involve minors or lay members of the faithful, and they do not implicate any kind of illegal or criminal behavior,” Nienstedt said. “The allegations involve events alleged to have occurred at least a decade ago, before I began serving in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/report-minnesota-archbishop-nienstedt-under-scrutiny-for-same-sex-relationships/2014/07/01/3cb150c6-0164-11e4-9a6a-955ebcaa3334_story.html

Calls for Resignation Mount for Minnesota Archbishop in Scandals
By Laurie Goodstein

Just two years ago, the Roman Catholic archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis was making headlines as a leader in the battle against same-sex marriage. But for the last year and a half, the archbishop, John C. Nienstedt, has been battling to hold onto his post in the face of a series of scandals, which further deepened on Tuesday with the filing of an explosive affidavit by the former chancellor of the archdiocese.

The troubles started in May 2013 when the accountant for the archdiocese pleaded guilty to stealing more than $670,000 in church funds, and intensified when the chancellor, Jennifer M. Haselberger, quit and went public that autumn with allegations that the archbishop and his inner circle had covered up the actions of pedophile priests in recent years and funneled special payments to them.
His defenders say he is being pilloried because of his staunch opposition to homosexuality, spending more than $650,000 in church funds in 2012 to campaign for a state constitutional amendment that would have banned same-sex marriage. The amendment ultimately failed.

***

In his previous post, as bishop of the New Ulm Diocese, he advised parishioners against seeing the film “Brokeback Mountain,” a story about two gay cowboys, which he saw as a “human tragedy” about succumbing to lust.

Archbishop Nienstedt, 67, has appeared resolute, saying he made a promise to serve the church and does not intend to quit. He has already weathered a police investigation into an accusation that he touched a child’s buttocks during a photo session at a confirmation. He denied the allegation, and the county attorney declared in March that there was insufficient evidence to charge him. But the cloud of scandal and a pile of lawsuits have led to increased calls for him to resign.

“His ability to lead going forward has become severely compromised,” said Tom Horner, a prominent Catholic public relations consultant and former Independence Party candidate for governor. “He became such a polarizing figure that he now has very little reservoir of good will to draw from as he faces questions about his own activities and how he has managed abuse cases.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/us/calls-for-resignation-mount-for-minnesota-archbishop-in-scandals.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22%7D&_r=1

This guy really gets around.

[cbayer]

5. Ms Haselberger is a brave, brave woman.

I am really impressed with what she is doing here and hope she is successful at blowing the entire cover off of this.

[skepticscott]

6. Why is she brave?

In this day and age, everyone is against child sexual abuse, and the covering up and abetting of child sexual abuse, right? No one is fighting her or attacking her for this, are they? She has no reason to think that anyone in the Catholic hierarchy or laity would threaten her or mean her harm, does she? There are NO apologists for this sort of behavior any more, are there? I mean, they ALL got the memo from Pope Francis saying that this was a Really Bad Thing, right?

So what does she have to face that would require courage?