The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has hired an outside firm to review its clergy files, it announced Thursday.
The firm, Kinsale Management Consulting, based in California, was founded by Kathleen McChesney, the former head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office for Child and Youth Protection. In that role, she developed legal compliance mechanisms for dioceses regarding preventing, reporting and responding to the sexual abuse of minors.
McChesney is a former FBI official who oversaw that agency's international operations in 44 foreign countries and at its field offices in Chicago and Portland. She also worked as a vice president for threat assessment and crisis management for the Walt Disney Co.
Kinsale's website says the firm "has performed security strategy and crisis management reviews for multinational corporations and nonprofit agencies; conducted confidential internal investigations of employee misconduct, theft and fraud; designed security structures, and developed client-specific crisis management plans and training programs."
Archbishop John Nienstedt said of the firm: "Dr. McChesney and her team bring an extraordinary depth of experience, background in law enforcement and the investigation of crimes against children, and dedication to their work in both religious and secular organizations. Their expertise and leadership in addressing the problem of abuse of minors will ensure that Kinsale's review of our clergy files will be objective and thorough."
Kinsale is to start work in early December with a review of all clergy in active ministry, the archdiocese said.
Jean Hopfensperger
