The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis will join the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office in hosting a conference Thursday aimed at highlighting the steps taken to protect children from clergy sexual abuse.
Survivors, as well as other members of the public impacted by clergy abuse, are invited to attend the daylong event.
It will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn and Suites in Lake Elmo located at 8511 Hudson Blvd.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda as well as Ramsey County Attorney John Choi will share the latest information on the settlement agreement reached between prosecutors and the archdiocese after Ramsey County filed several counts of child endangerment against the archdiocese back in 2015.
The charges accused the archdiocese of mishandling the allegations of repeated misconduct by former St. Paul priest, Curtis Wehmeyer. Wehmeyer was convicted of molesting two boys in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin.
The charges were dismissed after the two sides reached the settlement in 2016.
The agreement called for an acknowledgement of wrongdoing by the archdiocese as well as the implementation of a new child-protection plan aimed at preventing similar abuses.
The plan, subject to routine court oversight, included broader background checks for clergy and volunteers, child-protection training and mandatory reporting of abuse as well as other changes.
The three-year oversight period comes to an end next week.
Additionally, a retired judge will talk about restorative justice at Thursday’s event, and a panel of survivors will share some of their experiences.
