Over the last half-dozen years, Archbishop
John Nienstedt has been one of the most outspoken opponents of granting any LGBT rights, either in his home state of
Minnesota
or across the nation. He has found a series of supporters, but he’s
also managed to turn himself into one of the most reviled characters
both the Catholic Church and the anti-gay marriage movement has managed
to produce.
Fortunately, Nienstedt’s rancid views seem to finally be catching up with him.
In the midst of an ongoing investigation into decades of sex abuse cover-ups within the Minneapolis archdiocese, a
judge ruled last week against
the archdiocese’s request to delay the release of abuse documentation.
While the church will not be releasing the entirety of its documentation
next week, Ramsey County District Judge John Van de North ruled that
the archdiocese must release those documents most relevant to Nienstedt,
who was deposed today. As
the judge noted, it was important to keep the archdiocese’s “feet to
the fire.” Moreover, if the church does not release all relevant
documentation by Wednesday, the possibility remains for a follow-up
deposition for the embattled archbishop.
The archdiocese noted that 45,000 documents had been copied for the
court, out of a possible 60,000. Daniel Haws, an attorney for the
archdiocese, requested that the documents remain sealed, but the judge
rejected the request. Van de North also ruled against striking
survivors’ names from the files.
The rulings are but the latest blow against Nienstedt and his inner
circle, which helped lead the failed push to bar same-sex marriage in
Minnesota. And they were not the only moves against the archbishop this
week. The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office asked the St. Paul Police
Department earlier this week to reopen a pair of cases relating to sex
abuse in the archdiocese – with one pertaining to Nienstedt in
particular.
As
MPR reported,
the attorney’s office requested “St. Paul police to reopen these cases
as they review all the reports once again, police spokesman Howie
Padilla said. A spokesperson from the Ramsey County Attorney’s office
said the re-examination is not specific to Archbishop Nienstedt, but the
cases have other elements that require further investigation.”
The
Star-Tribune reported on today’s deposition.
The archdiocese released a statement later Wednesday,
noting Nienstedt told attorneys children’s safety is the archdiocese’s
highest priority. The statement says he expressed regret for past
mistakes with clergy abuse allegations.
Needless to say, between the deposition and the possibility of
further investigation for his own sex abuse complaints, Nienstedt is
finally seeing a bit of the comeuppance he’s been so long due.
