After an abuse study: dozens of new reports from the diocese
Released on 08.06.2022
- The spiers of the Frauenkirche in Munich. The report was from at least 497 victims and 235 suspected perpetrators in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising - and from a much larger dark field. Other victims have now come forward. Photo: Peter Kneffel/dpa
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In January, a study on sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising shook the Catholic Church. The experts assumed 497 victims - and a large number of unreported cases.
Munich.
Since the presentation of the report on sexual abuse in the Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, dozens of other victims have come forward.
The Archdioceses independent contact persons for the investigation of suspected cases counted until the beginning of June 42 New reports, as the diocese announced at the request of the German Press Agency in Munich.
The report commissioned by the diocese from a Munich law firm had at his Presentation in January caused a worldwide sensation. The study assumes at least 497 victims and 235 suspected perpetrators from - and from a much larger dark field.
The former archbishops Friedrich Wetter and Joseph Ratzinger, today Benedict XVI, were personally accused of misconduct in several cases in the report - also the current Archbishop Cardinal Reinhard Marx. A year ago, he offered Pope Francis his resignation - which the pontiff immediately rejected.
"For me, its basically about sharing responsibility for the catastrophe of sexual abuse by officials of the Church in recent decades," Marx wrote to the Pope in his resignation letter. For him, the studies and reports over the past ten years have consistently shown that there have been "a lot of personal failures and administrative errors," but "also institutional or systemic failures." The Catholic Church has reached a "dead point".
From the point of view of the reform movement "We are Church", not enough has happened in Marxs own diocese since the resignation request: "The specific Unfortunately, reform steps in the Archdiocese of Munich are still lagging behind the announcements and expressions of concern," said "We are Church" spokesman Christian Weisner of the dpa. (dpa)
