Archdiocese leaders: We need independent review of accused prelates

Leaders of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis responded to the latest wave of allegations regarding clergy sex abuse by calling for independent, external reviews of accusations against bishops and higher ranking prelates.

The statements released by the archdiocese Friday come in the wake of a Pennsylvania grand jury report about clergy sex abuse cover-ups and accusations from a high-ranking church official that Pope Francis is complicit in cover-ups.

Auxiliary Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens, who was involved in the 2014 investigation of then-Archbishop John Nienstedt said, "in retrospect it was doomed to fail."

He said there was no meaningful structure to address allegations against bishops. Nienstedt had requested a review of "serious allegations of misconduct ... with adults" by Nienstadt.

"We did not have enough objectivity or experience with such investigations. Nor did we have authority to act," said Cozzens. He said, "on more than one occasion, I counseled Archbishop Nienstedt to resign for the good of the Archdiocese."

Cozzens says he and Bishop Lee Piché at one point believed they received instructions to shut down the probe from Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Vatican's nuncio, or ambassador to the U.S.

In a letter released earlier this week, Viganò accused Pope Francis and his predecessor Pope Benedict of being aware of sexual abuse allegations against an American cardinal, but not acting on them. He called on the pope to resign.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda, in a separate letter released with Cozzens', said "having had good reasons to place my trust in both Pope Francis and Archbishop Viganò, I am personally at a loss as to how to evaluate the claims that have been made by the Archbishop."

Hebda adds that the only way to resolve such situations and restore trust is "some form of an independent review led by credible outsiders."