Wehmeyer, convicted of sexual abuse, removed from the priesthood
Updated: 5:55 a.m. March 12 | Posted: 4:06 p.m. March 11
A former St. Paul priest — now serving a five-year prison sentence for sexually abusing two boys — has been removed from the priesthood by the Vatican.
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The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said Pope Francis issued a decree for Wehmeyer's dismissal in December. Wehmeyer has been "permanently and definitively barred from presenting himself as a priest."
The archdiocese said Archbishop John Nienstedt received the decree last week. The documents were served to Wehmeyer Wednesday.
Wehmeyer served in several St. Paul area churches from 2001 to 2011.
In 2013, MPR News reported that top archdiocese leaders knew of Wehmeyer's sexual compulsions for nearly a decade before his arrest, but allowed him to remain in the ministry and kept information about Wehmeyer from parishioners.
The archdiocese said Wehmeyer has not been paid a salary since his arrest and will receive no financial assistance upon his release, though he's legally entitled to a pension. The archdiocese said it has not paid any of his legal bills.