>> ERIC: EARLIER THIS WEEK, MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO AIRED AN HOUR-LONG DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE CLERGY SEX ABUSE SCANDAL AND COVER-UP IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST.

PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS.

THE ABUSE SPANS THE TENURE OF THREE ARCHBISHOPS, JOHN ROACH, HARRY FLYNN AND JOHN NIENSTEDT.

THIS WEEK'S HOUR-LONG PROGRAM LAYS OUT A STORY THAT IS STILL EVOLVING, WITH ON-GOING LEGAL ACTION AND POTENTIAL CRIMINAL CASES.

MADELEINE BARAN HAS SPENT THE PAST YEAR WORKING ON THIS STORY AND SHE JOINS US.

AS WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR, WE DID INVITE THE ARCHDIOCESE TO APPEAR ON THE SHOW TONIGHT BUT THEY DECLINED.

WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE DOCUMENT TEAR?

>> WE FOUND THAT YOU HAD THREE ARCH BISHOPS WHO COVERED UP SEXUAL EXPLOITATION FOR DECADES AND HARRY FLYNN HAD COVERED UP NATIONAL ABUSE AT THE FIRST ORIGIN OF THE SCANDAL IN LOUISIANA.

THIS NATIONAL LEADER WHO PRESENTED HIMSELF AS A HEALER HAD COVERED UP THE ABUSE, AS WELL.

>> Cathy: HOW TOUGH WAS IT TO GET INFORMATION BACK FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE IN.

>> THEY HAVEN'T COMMENTED SINCE THEY PICKED IT '.

>> Cathy: THERE WAS AN EDITORIAL TODAY, I UNDERSTAND.

>> AN EDITORIAL TODAY.

THEY STOPPED SHORT OF CALLING FOR ARCHBISHOP NIENSTEDT'S RESIGNATION BUT THEY SAID THE POPE SHOULD ACT, THE ARCHDIOCESE HAS MADE A MOCKERY OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> Cathy: THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A YEAR.

I'VE WATCHED YOU WORK IN THE NEWSROOM WITH TOM SCHECK AND THE OTHER TEAM AND IT'S INTERESTING HOW THE NATIONAL PRESS IS COMING TO THE -- IS STEPPING UP.

>> I THINK THE CALLS HAVE GONE OUT LOUDER AND I THINK REPORTING ON ARCHBISHOP FLYNN WHO IS MORE OF A NATIONAL FIGURE, IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT WOULD START TO ALERT THE NATIONAL MEDIA.

>> Eric: WHERE ARE THE CALLS FOR NIENSTEDT'S RESIGNATION COMING FROM?

>> MAJOR DONORS, SOME OF WHOM WHO HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY QUIET, NOT TALKING PUBLICLY ABOUT THE RESIGNATION ABOUT THIS WEEK.

PEOPLE IN THE PEWS, LAY CATHOLICS, SOME PRIESTS BUT REALLY A SENSE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND SAYING WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'S THE LEADER WHO CAN GET US OUT OF THIS CRISIS.

AND SO FOR MAJOR DONORS, THAT'S A BIG ISSUE BECAUSE THEY WANT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TO DO THE THINGS THEY WANT IT TO DO, EDUCATION, SOCIAL SERVICES, ALL OF THE GOOD WORKS THAT THE CHURCH DOES.

>> Cathy: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL REPORTING OF THIS.

HOW DID YOU HOOK INTO THIS STORY?

>> STARTED WITH A PHONE CALL FROM JENNIFER HAS HE WILLBERGER IN JULY, SO, YEAH, WE ARE ACTUALLY INTO A YEAR HERE AND FROM THERE, IT WAS JUST A LOT OF INTERVIEWS WITH OTHER SOURCES, DOCUMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED, LEAKED AUDIO RECORDINGS EVEN OF NIENSTEDT'S MEETING WITH THE PRIESTS AFTER THE SCANDAL BROKE SO WE COMBINED ALL OF THAT AS A REPORTING TEAM TO GET WHERE WE WERE BUT IT STARTED WITH A PHONE CALL.

>> Cathy: I KNOW THAT YOU ALSO WERE VERY VOCAL IN STAYING TO THE TEAM AND EVERYONE AGREED WITH YOU TO PUT THE DOCUMENTS ONLINE SO PEOPLE COULD SEE ALL THE DOCUMENTS.

WHY?

>> BECAUSE WE WANT TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN READ THIS FOR YOURSELF, THAT IF YOU -- I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, TOO, THESE ARE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR CATHOLICS TO NOTE AND THEN IT JUST STRENGTHENS OUR REPORTING AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ANY REPORTER THAT IF YOU HAVE IT, PUT IT ONLINE.

>> Eric: HAS IT BEEN DAUNTING TO, FOR LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE, TAKE ON SUCH A POWERFUL INSTITUTION?

>> I SEE IT MORE AS JUST TRYING TO GETS TO THE FACTS AND SO IN THAT WAY, IT'S A YEARLONG INVESTIGATION BUT NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY STORY WHERE YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED, AND WITH THIS WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF SO MANY SOURCES AND SO IN THAT SENSE, I FEEL GRATEFUL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE STORY AND NOT SO DAUNTED.

>> Cathy: OFTENTIMES, WHEN YOU HAVE A CONTROVERSIAL STORY, AS YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GET RAINED UPON WHEN IT COMES TO CRITICISM, FROM LISTENERS OR READERS OR VIEWERS.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN IT COMES TO REACTION?

>> IT'S BEEN INTERESTING.

MOST OF OUR REACTION HAS BEEN POSITIVE AND MOST OF IT HAS COME FROM CATHOLIC PARISHNERS AND PRIESTS WHO HAVE SAID, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS REPORTING.

WE ARE SADDENED BY THIS, DEEPLY DISTURBED BUT WE'RE GLAD WE KNOW IT.

SO THERE IS NOT A SENSE THAT THIS IS PLEASANT FOR ANYONE BUT IT HAS BEEN, THAT'S BEEN THE MAIN REACTION.

>> Eric: ANY CHANCE THIS GETS INTO A CRIMINAL REALM?

>> THAT'S A BIG QUESTION, THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY'S BEEN ASKING, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION NOW FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND RIGHT NOW THE St.

PAUL POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAS GIVEN THEIR FILES TO RAMSEY COUNTY ATTORNEY JOHN CHOY'S OFFICE SO PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO SEE WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO WITH THEM.

BUT HE HAS DECLINED SO FAR TO CALL FOR A GRAND JURY.

>> Cathy: HOW DIFFICULT HAS THIS BEEN, PERSONALLY, TO DO THIS KINDS OF WORK?

>> IT'S BEEN A LOT OF HARD WORK, DEFINITELY, BUT AGAIN, I JUST FEEL FORTUNATE TO HAVE A STORY LIKE THIS, WHERE YOU KNOW THAT IT'S -- KIND OF WHY YOU GETS INTO JOURNALISM TO BEGIN WITH, THAT YOU HAVE INFORMATION THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW, THAT YOU CAN SHARE AND I THINK THAT IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THAT FOR A REPORTER.

>> Eric: IS THERE MORE TO COME?

>> YES, STAY TUNED.

>> Cathy: ALL RIGHT.

[ Laughter ] GOOD WORK.

MADELINE, THANKS.

>> Eric: THANKS, MADELINE.

♪♪