");vwo_$('head').append(_vwo_sel);return vwo_$('head')[0] && vwo_$('head')[0].lastChild;})("HEAD")}}},rules:[{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":54}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":55}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":48}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":61}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":62}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":39}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":64}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":16}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":63}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959030}],"triggers":["8536412"]},{"tags":[{"data":"campaigns.39","id":"runCampaign","priority":4}],"triggers":["12454053"]},{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":54}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":55}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":48}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":61}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":62}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":39}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":64}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":16}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":63}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959033}],"triggers":["8536415"]},{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":54}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":55}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":48}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":61}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":62}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":39}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":64}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":2,"c":16}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":63}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951905}],"triggers":["8459768"]},{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":7,"c":39}],"type":"g"},"id":"metric","metricId":0}],"triggers":["12454062"]},{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":54}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":55}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":48}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":61}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":62}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":3,"c":39}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":64}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":16}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":63}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":959027}],"triggers":["8536409"]},{"tags":[{"data":"campaigns.54","id":"runCampaign","priority":4},{"data":"campaigns.55","id":"runCampaign","priority":4},{"data":"campaigns.48","id":"runCampaign","priority":4},{"data":"campaigns.61","id":"runCampaign","priority":4},{"data":"campaigns.62","id":"runCampaign","priority":4},{"data":"campaigns.64","id":"runCampaign","priority":4},{"data":"campaigns.16","id":"runCampaign","priority":4},{"data":"campaigns.63","id":"runCampaign","priority":4}],"triggers":["10589191"]},{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":6,"c":39}],"type":"g"},"id":"metric","metricId":0}],"triggers":["12454059"]},{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":16}],"type":"g"},"id":"metric","metricId":0}],"triggers":["12639747"]},{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":39}],"type":"g"},"id":"metric","metricId":0}],"triggers":["12454056"]},{"tags":[{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":54}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951908},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":5,"c":55}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951908},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":48}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951908},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":61}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951908},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":4,"c":62}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951908},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":64}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951908},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":6,"c":16}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951908},{"data":{"campaigns":[{"g":1,"c":63}],"type":"m"},"id":"metric","metricId":951908}],"triggers":["8639604"]},{"tags":[{"id":"prePostMutation","priority":3},{"priority":2,"id":"groupCampaigns"}],"triggers":["8"]},{"tags":[{"id":"visibilityService","priority":2}],"triggers":["9"]},{"tags":[{"id":"runTestCampaign"}],"triggers":["2"]},{"tags":[{"id":"urlChange"}],"triggers":["75"]},{"tags":[{"id":"checkEnvironment"}],"triggers":["5"]}],pages:{"pc":[{"141375":{"inc":["o",["url","urlReg","(?i)^https?\\:\\\/\\\/(w{3}\\.)?mprnews\\.org\\\/story.*"],["url","urlReg","(?i)^https?\\:\\\/\\\/(w{3}\\.)?mprnews\\.org\\\/episode.*"]]}}],"ec":[{"1625289":{"inc":["o",["url","urlReg","(?i).*"]]}},{"2121531":{"inc":["o",["pg","eq","141375"]]}}]},pagesEval:{"pc":[141375],"ec":[1625289,2121531]},stags:{}}})(); ;;var commonWrapper=function(argument){if(!argument){argument={valuesGetter:function(){return{}},valuesSetter:function(){},verifyData:function(){return{}}}}const getVisitorUuid=function(){if(window._vwo_acc_id>=1037725){return window.VWO&&window.VWO.get("visitor.id")}else{return window.VWO._&&window.VWO._.cookies&&window.VWO._.cookies.get("_vwo_uuid")}};var pollInterval=100;var timeout=6e4;return function(){var accountIntegrationSettings={};var _interval=null;function waitForAnalyticsVariables(){try{accountIntegrationSettings=argument.valuesGetter();accountIntegrationSettings.visitorUuid=getVisitorUuid()}catch(error){accountIntegrationSettings=undefined}if(accountIntegrationSettings&&argument.verifyData(accountIntegrationSettings)){argument.valuesSetter(accountIntegrationSettings);return 1}return 0}var currentTime=0;_interval=setInterval((function(){currentTime=currentTime||performance.now();var result=waitForAnalyticsVariables();if(result||performance.now()-currentTime>=timeout){clearInterval(_interval)}}),pollInterval)}}; var pushBasedCommonWrapper=function(argument){var firedCamp={};if(!argument){argument={integrationName:"",getExperimentList:function(){},accountSettings:function(){},pushData:function(){}}}return function(){window.VWO=window.VWO||[];const getVisitorUuid=function(){if(window._vwo_acc_id>=1037725){return window.VWO&&window.VWO.get("visitor.id")}else{return window.VWO._&&window.VWO._.cookies&&window.VWO._.cookies.get("_vwo_uuid")}};var sendDebugLogsOld=function(expId,variationId,errorType,user_type,data){try{var errorPayload={f:argument["integrationName"]||"",a:window._vwo_acc_id,url:window.location.href,exp:expId,v:variationId,vwo_uuid:getVisitorUuid(),user_type:user_type};if(errorType=="initIntegrationCallback"){errorPayload["log_type"]="initIntegrationCallback";errorPayload["data"]=JSON.stringify(data||"")}else if(errorType=="timeout"){errorPayload["timeout"]=true}if(window.VWO._.customError){window.VWO._.customError({msg:"integration debug",url:window.location.href,lineno:"",colno:"",source:JSON.stringify(errorPayload)})}}catch(e){window.VWO._.customError&&window.VWO._.customError({msg:"integration debug failed",url:"",lineno:"",colno:"",source:""})}};var sendDebugLogs=function(expId,variationId,errorType,user_type){var eventName="vwo_debugLogs";var eventPayload={};try{eventPayload={intName:argument["integrationName"]||"",varId:variationId,expId:expId,type:errorType,vwo_uuid:getVisitorUuid(),user_type:user_type};if(window.VWO._.event){window.VWO._.event(eventName,eventPayload,{enableLogs:1})}}catch(e){eventPayload={msg:"integration event log failed",url:window.location.href};window.VWO._.event&&window.VWO._.event(eventName,eventPayload)}};const callbackFn=function(data){if(!data)return;var expId=data[1],variationId=data[2],repeated=data[0],singleCall=0,debug=0;var experimentList=argument.getExperimentList();var integrationName=argument["integrationName"]||"vwo";if(typeof argument.accountSettings==="function"){var accountSettings=argument.accountSettings();if(accountSettings){singleCall=accountSettings["singleCall"];debug=accountSettings["debug"]}}if(debug){sendDebugLogs(expId,variationId,"intCallTriggered",repeated)}if(singleCall&&(repeated==="vS"||repeated==="vSS")||firedCamp[expId]){return}window.expList=window.expList||{};var expList=window.expList[integrationName]=window.expList[integrationName]||[];if(expId&&variationId&&["VISUAL_AB","VISUAL","SPLIT_URL"].indexOf(_vwo_exp[expId].type)>-1){if(experimentList.indexOf(+expId)!==-1){firedCamp[expId]=variationId;var visitorUuid=getVisitorUuid();var pollInterval=100;var currentTime=0;var timeout=6e4;var user_type=_vwo_exp[expId].exec?"vwo-retry":"vwo-new";var interval=setInterval((function(){if(expList.indexOf(expId)!==-1){clearInterval(interval);return}currentTime=currentTime||performance.now();var toClearInterval=argument.pushData(expId,variationId,visitorUuid);if(debug&&toClearInterval){sendDebugLogsOld(expId,variationId,"",user_type);sendDebugLogs(expId,variationId,"intDataPushed",user_type)}var isTimeout=performance.now()-currentTime>=timeout;if(isTimeout&&debug){sendDebugLogsOld(expId,variationId,"timeout",user_type);sendDebugLogs(expId,variationId,"intTimeout",user_type)}if(toClearInterval||isTimeout){clearInterval(interval)}if(toClearInterval){window.expList[integrationName].push(expId)}}),pollInterval||100)}}};window.VWO.push(["onVariationApplied",callbackFn]);window.VWO.push(["onVariationShownSent",callbackFn])}}; var surveyDataCommonWrapper=function(argument){if(!argument){argument={getCampaignList:function(){return[]},surveyStatusChange:function(){},answerSubmitted:function(){}}}return function(){window.VWO=window.VWO||[];function getValuesFromAnswers(answers){var values=[];for(var i=0;i=timeout;if(toClearInterval||isTimeout){clearInterval(interval)}}),pollInterval)}}window.VWO.push(["onSurveyShown",function(data){commonSurveyCallback(data,argument.surveyStatusChange,"surveyShown")}]);window.VWO.push(["onSurveyCompleted",function(data){commonSurveyCallback(data,argument.surveyStatusChange,"surveyCompleted")}]);window.VWO.push(["onSurveyAnswerSubmitted",function(data){commonSurveyCallback(data,argument.answerSubmitted,"surveySubmitted")}])}}; (function(){var VWOOmniTemp={};window.VWOOmni=window.VWOOmni||{};for(var key in VWOOmniTemp)Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(VWOOmniTemp,key)&&(window.VWOOmni[key]=VWOOmniTemp[key]);;})();(function(){window.VWO=window.VWO||[];var pollInterval=100;var _vis_data={};var intervalObj={};var analyticsTimerObj={};var experimentListObj={};window.VWO.push(["onVariationApplied",function(data){if(!data){return}var expId=data[1],variationId=data[2];if(expId&&variationId&&["VISUAL_AB","VISUAL","SPLIT_URL"].indexOf(window._vwo_exp[expId].type)>-1){}}])})();; ;var vD=VWO.data||{};VWO.data={content:{"fns":{"list":{"vn":1,"args":{"1":{}}}}},as:"r4.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com",dacdnUrl:"https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com",accountJSInfo:{"noSS":false,"pc":{"a":0,"t":0},"rp":30,"ts":1743626699}};for(var k in vD){VWO.data[k]=vD[k]};;var gcpfb=function(a,loadFunc,status,err,success){function vwoErr() {_vwo_err({message:"Google_Cdn failing for " + a + ". Trying Fallback..",code:"cloudcdnerr",status:status});} if(a.indexOf("/cdn/")!==-1){loadFunc(a.replace("cdn/",""),err,success); vwoErr(); return true;} else if(a.indexOf("/dcdn/")!==-1&&a.indexOf("evad.js") !== -1){loadFunc(a.replace("dcdn/",""),err,success); vwoErr(); return true;}};window.VWO=window.VWO || [];window.VWO._= window.VWO._ || {};window.VWO._.gcpfb=gcpfb;;var d={cookie:document.cookie,URL:document.URL,referrer:document.referrer};var w={VWO:{_:{}},location:{href:window.location.href,search:window.location.search},_vwoCc:window._vwoCc};;window._vwo_cdn="https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/cdn/";window._vwo_apm_debug_cdn="https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/cdn/";window.VWO._.useCdn=true;window.vwo_eT="br";window._VWO=window._VWO||{};window._VWO.fSeg={};window._VWO.dcdnUrl="/dcdn/settings.js";window.VWO.sTs=1743594862;window._VWO._vis_nc_lib=window._vwo_cdn+"edrv/nc-e76f33e8accfa6859749db0f9a4d4230br.js";var loadWorker=function(url){_vwo_code.load(url, { dSC: true, onloadCb: function(xhr,a){window._vwo_wt_l=true;if(xhr.status===200 ||xhr.status===304){var code="var window="+JSON.stringify(w)+",document="+JSON.stringify(d)+";window.document=document;"+xhr.responseText;var blob=new Blob([code||"throw new Error('code not found!');"],{type:"application/javascript"}),url=URL.createObjectURL(blob);window.mainThread={webWorker:new Worker(url)};window.vwoChannelFW=new MessageChannel();window.vwoChannelToW=new MessageChannel();window.mainThread.webWorker.postMessage({vwoChannelToW:vwoChannelToW.port1,vwoChannelFW:vwoChannelFW.port2},[vwoChannelToW.port1, vwoChannelFW.port2]);if(!window._vwo_mt_f)return window._vwo_wt_f=true;_vwo_code.addScript({text:window._vwo_mt_f});delete window._vwo_mt_f}else{if(gcpfb(a,loadWorker,xhr.status)){return;}_vwo_code.finish("&e=loading_failure:"+a)}}, onerrorCb: function(a){if(gcpfb(a,loadWorker)){return;}window._vwo_wt_l=true;_vwo_code.finish("&e=loading_failure:"+a);}})};loadWorker("https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/cdn/edrv/worker-1135852b6bc11a94eb64017a8d120ad8br.js");;var _vis_opt_file;var _vis_opt_lib;if(window.VWO._.allSettings.dataStore.previewExtraSettings!=undefined&&window.VWO._.allSettings.dataStore.previewExtraSettings.isSurveyPreviewMode){var surveyHash=window.VWO._.allSettings.dataStore.plugins.LIBINFO.SURVEY_DEBUG_EVENTS.HASH;var param1="evad.js?va=";var param2="&d=debugger_new";var param3="&sp=1&a=940895&sh="+surveyHash;_vis_opt_file=vwoCode.use_existing_jquery&&typeof vwoCode.use_existing_jquery()!=="undefined"?vwoCode.use_existing_jquery()?param1+"vanj"+param2:param1+"va_gq"+param2:param1+"edrv/va_gq-a062e7c4223b2b89f5cddb5055816677br.js"+param2;_vis_opt_file=_vis_opt_file+param3;_vis_opt_lib="https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/dcdn/"+_vis_opt_file}else if(window.VWO._.allSettings.dataStore.mode!=undefined&&window.VWO._.allSettings.dataStore.mode=="PREVIEW"){ var path1 = 'edrv/pd_'; var path2 = window.VWO._.allSettings.dataStore.plugins.LIBINFO.EVAD.HASH + ".js"; ;_vis_opt_file=vwoCode.use_existing_jquery&&typeof vwoCode.use_existing_jquery()!=="undefined"?vwoCode.use_existing_jquery()?path1+"vanj"+path2:path1+"va_gq"+path2:path1+"edrv/va_gq-a062e7c4223b2b89f5cddb5055816677br.js"+path2;_vis_opt_lib="https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/cdn/"+_vis_opt_file}else{_vis_opt_file=vwoCode.use_existing_jquery&&typeof vwoCode.use_existing_jquery()!=="undefined"?vwoCode.use_existing_jquery()?"edrv/vanj-55389bda300ad24b514d62f335aa126abr.js":"edrv/va_gq-a062e7c4223b2b89f5cddb5055816677br.js":"edrv/va_gq-a062e7c4223b2b89f5cddb5055816677br.js"}window._vwo_library_timer=setTimeout((function(){vwoCode.removeLoaderAndOverlay&&vwoCode.removeLoaderAndOverlay();vwoCode.finish()}),vwoCode.library_tolerance&&typeof vwoCode.library_tolerance()!=="undefined"?vwoCode.library_tolerance():2500),_vis_opt_lib=typeof _vis_opt_lib=="undefined"?window._vwo_cdn+_vis_opt_file:_vis_opt_lib;var loadLib=function(url){_vwo_code.load(url, { dSC: true, onloadCb:function(xhr,a){window._vwo_mt_l=true;if(xhr.status===200 || xhr.status===304){if(!window._vwo_wt_f)return window._vwo_mt_f=xhr.responseText;_vwo_code.addScript({text:xhr.responseText});delete window._vwo_wt_f;}else{if(gcpfb(a,loadLib,xhr.status)){return;}_vwo_code.finish("&e=loading_failure:"+a);}}, onerrorCb: function(a){if(gcpfb(a,loadLib)){return;}window._vwo_mt_l=true;_vwo_code.finish("&e=loading_failure:"+a);}})};loadLib(_vis_opt_lib);VWO.load_co=function(u,opts){return window._vwo_code.load(u,opts);};;;}}catch(e){_vwo_code.finish();_vwo_code.removeLoaderAndOverlay&&_vwo_code.removeLoaderAndOverlay();_vwo_err(e);window.VWO.caE=1}})();
Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Tom Scheck
ST. PAUL, Minn.

Nienstedt orders review of church handling of clergy sexual abuse

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Rev. Nienstedt
Reverend John Nienstedt, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson

Archbishop John Nienstedt announced Sunday that he's asked a University of St. Thomas law professor and priest to assemble a task force to study how the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is handling clergy sexual misconduct.

A letter sent by the archdiocese to parish priests said addressing the allegations is "the top priority for the archdiocese."

The archdiocese urged priests to announce at mass this weekend that 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. Whitt will appoint a task force of lay people but will not be a member of the group. The letter said the board will make specific recommendations and will release the report to the public.

• More coverage of the archdiocese

Nienstedt's move comes after two reports from MPR News. One investigation found that church leaders disregarded warning signs about a parish priest who later went on to sexually abuse two boys. Another found that Nienstedt and others disregarded concerns that a priest had pornography on his computer that was "borderline illegal."

Jennifer Haselberger, a former archdiocese official, issued a statement on Saturday calling for an independent review of all of the clergy files and publicly release any names of priests involved in sexual misconduct.

Nienstedt's top deputy, Vicar General Peter Laird, abruptly resigned on Thursday amid the scandal.

Editor's note: This updated version of the story clarifies the roles of Nienstedt and Whitt in the review panel.

Gallery
1 of 1
Rev. Nienstedt
Reverend John Nienstedt, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson