Abp Nienstedt resigns from helping ill Michigan priest after Detriot Free Press pressures diocese

Former St. Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt has resigned from a temporary post at a Michigan church, “in light of the unintended discord that his presence was causing,” the priest at the church wrote to parishioners Thursday.

The Rev. John D. Fleckenstein, pastor at St. Philip Catholic Church in Battle Creek, said that “anger and fear” had surfaced as a result of Nienstedt’s assignment, which started just two weeks ago. Nienstedt was expected to stay about six months.

Bishop Paul J. Bradley of the Kalamazoo Diocese issued a statement later Thursday, saying he regrets not understanding the “emotional reaction” created by Nienstedt’s arrival.

“Archbishop Nienstedt’s presence has unintentionally brought about a sense of disunity, fear, and hurt to many of you during this brief period of time,” wrote Bradley. “As your spiritual father and shepherd, I regret that more than words can express.”

continue at STrib

Kathy Schiffer takes on embarrassing hack job by Detroit Free Press on Abp. Nienstedt

The Detroit Free Press is running a story this morning about retired Archbishop John Nienstedt which is peppered with misunderstandings and factual inaccuracies. The article by Jennifer Bowman apparently originated with the Battle Creek Enquirer; but I would insist that the Free Press, whose reporters saw firsthand Archbishop Nienstedt’s kindly leadership when he was an auxiliary bishop in Detroit, has a responsibility to vet the articles which appear on its pages.

For starters, the headline reads “Controversial Ex-Priest Now Serving in Battle Creek.”

Please allow me to clarify: Archbishop Nienstedt is not an “ex-priest.” He is a “retired archbishop.” His resignation from office does not erase his standing in the Roman Catholic Church and he is entitled to the respect due an archbishop.

continue at Seasons of Grace

I've said many times, when the press lies about the facts in these cases it does damage to their own agenda.  There's plenty of actual facts here that need to be examined, but this journal-ivism gets published makes Neinstedt look like the victim of a political hack dragging him through the mud.

Just read the last line:

Indeed, Nienstedt has been a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage, supporting in 2012 an unsuccessful ban proposal in Minnesota. He also ordered an end to a gay pride pray service at a Minneapolis church while he was archbishop, according to the Star Tribune.

Now we know that Neinstedt's statement that there is no truth to any charges of mishandling of abuse reports really is just politically motivated.  Nienstedt said this in 2014.

In a written response to Commonweal, Nienstedt dismissed the charges as a “personal attack against me due to my unwavering stance on issues consistent with church teaching, such as opposition to so-called same-sex marriage.”

So as far as the current situation that Abp. Nienstedt find himself in,  the DFP seems to agree, there's no substance to any of the charges, his real crime is opposing the radical agenda of the homosexualist movement.