Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Bishop Paul Sirba of Duluth, Minnesota, died at Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth Dec. 1. He was 59.

A bankruptcy judge approved a $39.2 million settlement Oct. 21 between the Diocese of Duluth and victims/survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Austin A. Vetter, a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota, to be the bishop of the Diocese of Helena, Montana.

Retired Bishop John Kinney of St. Cloud died Sept. 27 at Quiet Oaks Hospice in St. Augusta. He was 82.

Retired Archbishop Harry Flynn of St. Paul and Minneapolis died Sept. 22 in St. Paul. He was 86.

The Field Hospital: Over a dozen clergy sexual abuse survivors are in regular contact with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis' Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment. They provide advice for the archdiocese's outreach to other survivors.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis said Dec. 14 that until "all open allegations are resolved," his predecessor, Archbishop John Nienstedt, is not free to exercise public ministry in the archdiocese.

A court approved the $210 million settlement between the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese and 400-plus abuse survivors, one of the final steps in a nearly four-year bankruptcy process.