Pedophiles and those who hide them, no matter how high up in the Vatican hierarchy, are getting the boot now that Pope Francis is in town.
Archbishop John Nienstedt and Auxiliary Bishop Lee Pich? have resigned five days after Pope Francis establishes a tribunal and to his credit.
Courtesy: Christoph Wagener https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Franciscus-PP.JPG
The resignations followed the?Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis being charged with “mishandling repeated complaints related to clergy sex abuse.”
Protect Children From Predators
During a Mass at the Vatican with survivors of sexual abuse last July, we first heard his promise. The Pope intends to oust those guilty of sex abuse plus the ones who cover up such tragic crimes ? specifically any who fail to protect children from predatory priests. He said:
“All bishops must carry out their pastoral ministry with utmost care in order to help foster the protection of minors, and they will be held accountable.?
The Pope has no qualms about seeking out criminals in his own nest. Pope Francis listened and heard the criticism about those at the top of the church being immune – especially when it came to ignoring or actually covering up for priests who sexually molest children. Pope Francis calls his highest ranking Vatican members ?daddy’s boys,? and says they will not escape with the crimes of abuse nor any cover-up.
New Tribunal
As a result he approved a new tribunal within the Vatican, which will to hear the abuse cases where bishops who are accused of failing to protect children.
Pope Francis started with renowned anti-gay advocate?John Nienstedt, Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis and his Auxilary Bishop Lee Anthon Piche. Prosecutors charged the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis ?as a corporation of having turned a blind eye? to the priest who was eventually convicted of molesting two unnamed boys.
The Catholic Church defines in detail “delictum cum minore,” or dereliction with minors.
It took two years for any action to occur after diocesan canon lawyer-turned-whistleblower Jennifer Haselberger made her complaint:
?Alleged widespread cover-up of clergy sex misconduct in the archdiocese, saying archbishops and their top staff lied to the public and ignored the U.S. bishops’ pledge to have no tolerance of priests who abuse.?
How Nienstedt Fell
Bishops are allowed to retire under the code of canon law that accepts a resignation before retirement due to ?illness or some other grave reason.? According to Piche’s statement:
“The people of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis need healing and hope. I was getting in the way of that, and so I had to resign.”
Nienstedt replied in part in?the?following statement,
“I leave with a clear conscience knowing that my team and I have put in place solid protocols to ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults.”
We don’t know whether or not the tribunal will handle this case or not, since neither men is in office now.
Credit To Pope Francis
Under Pope Francis? dominion the Vatican also indicted its highest-ranking official to ever stand trial for a sex crime ? Jozef Wesolowskithe, former Dominican Republic Ambassador who sexually abused minors.
So far 18 bishops resigned after covering up for sexual abusers,according to Anne Barrett Doyle of the online resource BishopAccountability.org.
Not all of the indictments begin?at the Vatican. A U.S. court convicted Bishop Robert Finn for failing to report a suspected child abuser.
