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Newly Installed Archbishop Hebda Works to Heal the Twin Cities
In 2015, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis filed bankruptcy in an effort to deal with a lawsuit filed by over 400 victims of sexual abuse. It was around that time that Archbishop Bernard Hebda was sent to the area to serve as a temporary administrator. What was supposed to be a short assignment turned into something more permanent when Pope Francis assigned Hebda to the Archdiocese. Since his Mass of Installation, he has been working to rebuild trust in the community and restore faith in the church.
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From the beginning, Hebda has made a concerted effort to apologize for the past actions of the church and acknowledge wrongdoing. Just a couple months after becoming a permanent fixture at the diocese, he stood before the congregation and made a formal apology on behalf of the church while also referring to mishandling of the case of Curtis Wehmeyer, a priest who was accused of abusing three boys. Hebda has also been instrumental in developing and implementing a child protection system that will hopefully prevent abuse going forward.
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While the Archdiocese will no longer be facing criminal charges, Hebda is now in charge of leading the church through the bankruptcy phase that is a part of responding to civil suits. During this challenging period, Hebda has worked to set a tone of forgiveness and gratitude. It remains to be seen how quickly the community will rebound from this painful period and whether they will once again return to the church as a source of comfort. However, it is clear that Hebda understands that it is up to him to bridge the gaps and work to heal deep wounds.
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So far, it looks like residents of the Twin Cities are responding well the Archbishop Hebda and he continues to have the support of the Vatican and he works to navigate new and sensitive territory. His arrival may have come at the perfect time. During his short tenure in the Archdiocese, his efforts have been applauded by the Ramsey County Attorney’s office for helping the church to make clear progress towards reaching a resolution and helping everyone move forward.
In the coming years, Hebda’s efforts may serve as an example to other communities who are also dealing with the aftermath of systemic sexual abuse. Hopefully, he is able to continue to lead the Twin Cities through this tumultuous period and help them successfully come out to the other side.
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