St Paul, Minnesota
First abuse investigation under new bishops’ law
An archbishop will investigate cover-up allegations against a local bishop, in the first example of the new “metropolitan model” put in place by Pope Francis earlier this year. Archbishop Bernard Hebda (left) of St Paul and Minneapolis announced that he will lead an inquiry into Bishop Michael Hoeppner of Crookston, who is accused of “acts or omissions intended to interfere with or avoid civil or canonical investigations of clerical sexual misconduct”. Bishop Hoeppner denies any wrongdoing.
