A Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota says Pope Francis asked its bishop to resign after he was investigated by the Vatican for allegedly interfering with past investigations into clergy sexual abuse.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 3:10 pm
Pope asks US bishop to resign after cover-up investigation
Associated Press
ROME – Pope Francis asked a bishop in the U.S. state of Minnesota to resign after he was investigated by the Vatican for allegedly interfering with past investigations into clergy sexual abuse, officials said Tuesday.
The Vatican said Francis accepted the resignation of Crookston Bishop Michael Hoeppner on Tuesday and named a temporary replacement to run the diocese. Hoeppner is 71, four years shy of the normal retirement age for bishops.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston said in a statement that the pontiff asked Hoeppner to resign following the Vatican probe, which it said arose from reports that the bishop had at times failed to observe applicable norms when presented with allegations of sexual abuse involving clergy.
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US Bishop Hoeppner resigns after Vatican probe into cover-up
April 13, 2021
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FILE - In this Monday, Nov. 10, 2008 file photo, Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner of Crookston, Minn. prays during a semi-annual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in Baltimore. A Minnesota bishop who was investigated by the Vatican for allegedly interfering with past investigations into clergy sexual abuse has resigned. The Vatican said Tuesday, April 13, 2021 that Pope Francis had accepted the resignation of Crookston Bishop Michael Hoeppner and named a temporary replacement to run the dioceses.Steve Ruark/AP
ROME (AP) A Minnesota bishop who was investigated by the Vatican for allegedly interfering with past investigations into clergy sexual abuse has resigned, the Vatican said Tuesday.