ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis says the Vatican’s investigation into former Archbishop John Nienstedt is complete.
Eight years ago, Nienstedt resigned from his position amid allegations of covering up crimes of a pedophile priest on the church.
Current Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who assumed the role in 2015, released a press release Friday. Hebda says a Vatican investigation looked into the entire allegations and didn’t support finding that Nienstedt had committed any crimes. The Holy See deemed the allegations unfounded.
Hebda says he was told of several instances of “imprudent” actions from Nienstedt that were delivered to light. He says the instances “either standing alone or taken together” didn’t warrant any further investigation or penal sanctions.
However, Pope Francis determined that several administrative actions can be imposed. These include Nienstedt not practicing ministry or living within the Province of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, which incorporates all of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Nienstedt won’t find a way to exercise ministry in any way outside of his diocese of residence “without the express authorization of the attendant Ordinary and only after the Dicastery for Bishops has been informed.”
“It’s just simply not enough,” said Mike McDonnell, executive director of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)
“The release of this information from the Vatican, it’s really a slap within the face to victims throughout. It simply says that, you recognize, your pain really just doesn’t matter enough to us.”
In an exclusive interview with WCCO Friday, whistleblower Jennifer Haselberger called the shortage of transparency “frustrating.”
“We don’t have any information, no insight, no visibility into to anything. It’s really just numerous broad statements,” she said . “Because it is not an exoneration, either. And I feel it leaves more questions than answers.”
One of those questions? What exactly were the “imprudent” actions, especially considering the severity of the claims against Nienstedt.
“If the outcomes of an intensive investigation arethat he has done nothing flawed, then I might argue that he has the proper for people to know that. So if that were the case, we have done a disservice to him,” she said, quickly adding “If, actually, as evidently some things have been substantiated, I might think that the people involved in making those accusations would really like to know what was substantiated and what was considered to not be substantiated, and what were the standards?’
“Historically, that is what the Catholic Church has done of their playbook,” McDonnel said. “And that’s to maneuver them along, out of sight, out of mind, hope it goes away.”
Nienstedt said in a press release that he has “fully cooperated” with all investigations into allegations against him and answered every query truthfully and to the very best of his recollection. He said he has asked the Holy See to make clear the “imprudent” actions he allegedly committed.
“I’ll heed the direction given to me by the Holy Father, which I even have been following for the past seven years,” Nienstedt said. “I’m retired now so my ministry will proceed to be limited. I’m sorry for any pain experienced by anyone due to allegations against me, and ask on your prayers for his or her healing.”
Haselberger can be pondering of the people impacted.
“People suffered someway. The people who brought the accusations, whether it was imprudent behavior or if it was something that did fall into canonical crime, people were hurt. The church was hurt,” she said. “Let’s keep all of them in mind and search for more ways in which we are able to improve our systems, put pressure on those in authority, and truly create the protected environment that we’d like.”
