In wake of sex abuse charges against diocese, Minnesota archbishop resigns

Archbishop John C. Nienstedt resigned Monday as the top Catholic official in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the wake of criminal sex abuse charges against the church.

In a statement, Nienstedt said he was resigning \"to give the Archdiocese a new beginning amidst the many challenges we face.\"

On June 5, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi filed six criminal charges against the archdiocese accusing it of encouraging, causing or contributing to the sexual abuse of three victims by a priest in 2010 and 2011.

The priest, Curtis Wehmeyer, was convicted in February 2013 on 20 felony charges of sexual abuse against minors and possession of child pornography, according to the archdiocese.

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