“While it is tempting to refute and rebut inaccuracies and misinformation, we do not feel it is appropriate to litigate these complex matters in public while a case is still open before the Court,” wrote Wood.
His letter also linked to a joint statement from the bishops and Executive Committee. The two bodies wrote that they met to review available documentation related to Thebeau’s claims, though they also noted that some evidence was only available to members of the court.
“We remain confident in the Court’s ability to bring these matters to just resolution,” the statement said. “Further, we find no evidence to suggest that the Archbishop or members of his staff acted in any way that violates or compromises the proceedings that are active before the court.”
Thebeau served as ACNA deputy communications director under Beach, the previous denominational leader. She was also a member of the Provincial Response Team, a group appointed in August 2021 to oversee a third-party investigation into the Upper Midwest Diocese’s handling of abuse allegations. In January 2022, three members of that team — though not Thebeau — resigned, saying the team “downplayed or ignored” abuse survivors’ needs.
This article originally appeared here.
