MN - Nienstedt hires another Catholic figure; SNAP responds

For immediate release: Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])

Embattled Twin Cities Archbishop John Nienstedt has hand-picked another bureaucrat to help him cling to and repair his damaged reputation. She’s Kathleen McChesney, who was hired by America’s bishops to head their new Office of Child Protection a decade ago.

McChesney is the quintessential bureaucrat, unwilling to challenge corruption and anxious to please her bosses.  She was no ‘profile in courage’ when she helped US bishops out of a jam a decade ago. We doubt she will be now.

Whether Nienstedt shares a few carefully selected records with one retired bureaucrat or ten, or with one lay catholic or a dozen, it won’t matter.

Neither McChesney nor anyone else Nienstedt pays will have subpoena power or real independence.

Catholic officials can scream 'independent' over and over. But if they pick and pay the people they'll consult with, no one can truly believe those new 'hired hands' will be unbiased.

It's very smart and safe for Nienstedt to hire McChesney. She did the bidding for bishops a decade ago and she'll do this bishop's bidding now.

This is another in a carefully choreographed string of tiny moves and tiny gestures that Nienstedt and his public relations team believe will eventually fool many into thinking real changes are afoot when in fact they are not.

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Bob Schwiderski(952 471 3422, [email protected])