Nienstedt conduct to be investigated by archdiocese

The Archdiocese of St Paul, Minnesota, announced that it has hired a prominent law firm to conduct an independent investigation into charges that Archbishop John Nienstedt engaged in inappropriate sexual activity, writes Michael Sean Winters. Nienstedt labelled the charges “absolutely and entirely false” and said the alleged events pertained to a time before he started serving in the archdiocese.

The archdiocese’s statement followed a report, first published in Commonweal, that charges of inappropriate sexual conduct had been made. Nienstedt said the charges “do not involve minors or lay members of the faithful, and do not implicate illegal or criminal behaviour”. He is one of the most outspoken opponents of same-sex marriage in the US hierarchy.