Archdiocese task force to investigate allegations

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis says it’s creating an independent task force to investigate how priests accused of misconduct were handled.

Archbishop John Nienstedt has named a Dominican priest for the University of St. Thomas law school, Reginald Whitt, to appoint a lay task force to review all issues related to clergy sexual misconduct. Members of the task force are expected to be named by Wednesday.

A former archdiocese employee, Jennifer Haselberger, has called for an external review of priest files. Haselberger worked at the archdiocese from 2008 to last April when resigned from her job as chancellor for canonical affairs because of her concerns about the way sexual abuse allegations were handled. Haselberger says the archdiocese failed to report what she believed to be child pornography to police, so she went to authorities herself.

An attorney for the archdiocese said Friday that neither police investigators nor a computer forensics expert found evidence to support her allegations.

An attorney for the priest also said the computer contained no child pornography.

Haselberger also asked Archbishop John Nienstedt to “make public the list of clergy who have been determined to have engaged in acts of sexual misconduct,” as well as those who could “reasonably be assumed to pose a threat to children and young people.”

“Until this occurs, I do not believe that it can be said that the Archdiocese is honoring its promise to protect,” she said in the statement.

A spokesman for the archdiocese declined comment when reached by The Associated Press on Saturday.

Tom Wieser, an attorney for the archdiocese, has called Haselberger a “disgruntled former employee.”

In a statement Friday, the archdiocese said it has a zero tolerance for sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable adults.