The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, whose top two officials resigned Monday in wake of criminal charges over the alleged failure to protect children from abusive priests, is facing an unprecedented convergence of litigation that lawyers say will continue to pose serious challenges for the archdiocese’s leadership, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, who stepped aside along with Auxiliary Bishop Lee Anthony Piche, said yesterday that he resigned to give the archdiocese a new beginning. The criminal charges against the diocese and the recent resignation of its top officials could give lawyers representing alleged victims added leverage as they negotiate the terms of a bankruptcy-exit plan and compensation package for victims. The archdiocese, its insurance carriers and alleged victims were ordered to begin mediation shortly after filing for chapter 11 protection. The resignations and recent criminal charges come as church leaders across the country continue to grapple with widespread allegations of child sexual abuse at the hands of clergy and related lawsuits. The abuse scandal has cost dioceses and other Catholic institutions in the U.S. nearly $2.9 billion since 2004 in compensation paid out to alleged victims, according to a recent report issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
