Joe Ruff

A multiyear investigation overseen by the Catholic Church into Archbishop John Nienstedt, who resigned from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 2015, has ended with the Vatican finding that he acted "imprudently" in several instances but not criminally under canon law, Archbishop Bernard Hebda said in a statement Jan. 5.

Bishop Lee A. Piché, who eight years ago resigned from the office of auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis amid charges that the archdiocese had ignored warning signs of a priest abusing minors, will return to service in the archdiocese as the archbishop's representative to retired priests beginning July 1.

The creation care team of the Twin Cities archdiocese in Minnesota is leading plans to observe the worldwide Season of Creation, which begins Sept. 1.

A native of Czechoslovakia who fled persecution by that country's communist regime and served in Minnesota for nearly 30 years before being appointed a bishop in the Czech Republic died Aug. 10 in California. Retired Bishop Peter Esterka was 85.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis announced June 17 it has fulfilled its remaining $3 million obligation to clergy abuse survivors ahead of schedule in its $210 million bankruptcy settlement.

An independent investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against Catholic composer David Haas in the years he held summer music programs at St. Catherine University in St. Paul shows that some members of Haas' Music Ministry Alive team found his conduct uncomfortable, or were aware of "general comments" about his behavior.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis prayed March 6 for peace and justice in the upcoming trial of a white former city police officer in death of George Floyd.

The Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, has reached a $21.5 million settlement with a creditors' committee representing 145 survivors of clergy sexual abuse, the diocese said in a Feb. 10 statement.

A U.S. bankruptcy judge gave final approval March 10 to a $34 million settlement agreement between 93 victim-survivors of clergy sexual abuse and the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota, as well as parishes within the diocese.

Encouraging an act of mercy and arguing it would not compromise justice, Nebraska's three Catholic bishops said July 6 they oppose the scheduled execution of death-row inmate Carey Dean Moore.