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Religion and Faith

New documents show Church debated legality of priest's pornography

New documents show Church debated legality of priest's pornography

New documents related to a Twin Cities priest found to have pornography on his computer show that archdiocesan leaders debated internally for a year whether the images met the legal definition of child pornography. They also provide a closer look at how past and present leaders decided to keep the matter quiet and keep the priest in ministry.

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Victims group dismisses archdiocese review of clergy sexual abuse cases as 'nothing but a smokescreen'

Victims group dismisses archdiocese review of clergy sexual abuse cases as 'nothing but a smokescreen'

A Saturday letter from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis asked priests to tell parishioners during Mass this weekend about Archbishop John Nienstedt's formation of a lay task force that will review the handling of clergy sexual misconduct.
by Tom Scheck, Madeleine Baran and Mike Cronin

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Nienstedt orders review of church handling of clergy sexual abuse

Nienstedt orders review of church handling of clergy sexual abuse

The archdiocese urged priests to announce at mass this weekend that Archbishop John Nienstedt has appointed the Rev. Reginald Whitt, a Dominican priest and University of St. Thomas law professor, to lead the creation of a task force to review all issues related to clergy misconduct.
by Tom Scheck

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Former Archdiocese official pushes for independent review of priest files

Former Archdiocese official pushes for independent review of priest files

In a publicly released statement, Jennifer Haselberger asked Archbishop John Nienstedt to allow an independent review of clergy files and "make public the list of clergy who have been determined to have engaged in acts of sexual misconduct, as well as those whom could reasonably be assumed to pose a threat to children and young people."
by Madeleine Baran

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Police to review priest's hard drive for pornography

Police to review priest's hard drive for pornography

Joe Ternus of Hugo says he reached out to St. Paul police today to tell them that he made a copy of a large part of the Rev. Jonathan Shelley's computer hard drive before he turned over the laptop to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Ternus said he had forgotten he had made a copy of Shelley's hard drive until MPR News contacted him earlier this week.
by Tom Scheck

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Snake-handling preachers open up about 'takin' up serpents'

Snake handlers dwell at the edge of the spiritual frontier -- a community of people who are willing to die for their faith three times a week in church. Members of the Pentecostal Holiness Church take up venomous serpents to prove their faith in God. The practice is still widespread in Appalachia, though mostly hidden.

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Church hid priest's pornography from police and parishioners for nearly a decade

Church hid priest's pornography from police and parishioners for nearly a decade

Leaders in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis confiscated pornography -- some of which might have portrayed children -- from the Rev. Jonathan Shelley's old laptop. But they didn't report it for nearly a decade, until a church official found it and, frustrated with her superiors' lack of response, went to police herself.

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Laird, top deputy of archdiocese, resigns

Laird, top deputy of archdiocese, resigns

"I am hopeful my decision to step aside at this time, along with the formation of a new task force can help repair the trust of many, especially the victims of abuse," the Rev. Peter Laird said in a prepared statement. He will continue to serve in a variety of roles within the archdiocese.
by Madeleine Baran and Rupa Shenoy

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