“With great pain”

adminonDecember 17, 2021January 5, 2022Leave a Comment

The superior general of the "Legionaries of Christ," Alvaro Corcuera Martinez del Rio, has apologized to the victims of assaults committed by the founder of the order, Marcial Maciel Degollado (1920-2008). The community notes the transgressions "with great pain" and asks forgiveness from all those who have been harmed, Corcuera said Tuesday in Rome.

The Legionaries of Christ order is currently the focus of Vatican investigations. The background is sexual relations of its founder, which resulted in at least one daughter. Back in 2006, the Vatican had reprimanded Maciel in connection with allegations of sexual abuse. Mexican Superior General Corcuera also met Tuesday with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone for a quarter-hour conversation on the sidelines of an academic event. Nothing was disclosed about their content. Referring to the visitation of religious institutions by Vatican investigators, Corcuera said the process could possibly be completed this year. On the future of the order, Corcuera expressed confidence. "We are very much at peace because we are sure that the grace of God accompanies us," the priest said. At the end of the investigations, there will be "a humbler congregation" that can serve others "with a great sincerity of purpose, with great goodness and mercy," the superior general said. Maciel, founder of the order, had died in February 2008 in the U.S. at the age of 87. He has been accused of abusing young seminarians since 1997. He is also said to have given them absolution for sexual acts committed together. Canon law provides for automatic excommunication for this, which can only be resolved by the pope himself. Maciel himself denied the accusations. The Vatican has entrusted five bishops with the investigation of the incidents. Spanish Bishop Ricardo Blazquez Perez of Bilbao is to be in charge of the "Legionaries of Christ" institutions in Europe, with the exception of Italy. Other visitators are the U.S. Archbishop of Denver, Charles Chaput, the Chilean Archbishop of Concepcion, Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, as well as the Bishop of Tepic in Mexico, Ricardo Watty Urquidi, and the Italian Bishop of Alessandria, Giuseppe Versaldi.

Bible opened in a pew © mojekadry (shutterstock)

The outlook on the "new" church year begins where the review of the old one ends: with Corona. The pandemic determines the everyday life of the people. And also has a firm grip on the church calendar.

It was to be one of the highlights of church life in 2021 – the Ecumenical Church Congress in Frankfurt in May. Five days with more than 100.000 participants. But Corona is putting a stop to all major events until further notice. The Christian meeting is not to be cancelled, but will take on a completely different character. It is now to be shortened by one day, held largely digitally and without visitors on site.

The Synodal Way, the dialogue on the future of the Catholic Church in Germany that was launched about a year ago to great press attention, faces similar problems. As things stand, the 230-member synodal assembly will not meet for a second time until fall 2021 at the earliest. Behind the scenes and in smaller groups, however, the discussions between bishops and laity are to continue.

The Synodal Way

The topics are set: sexual morality, the priestly way of life, power and the separation of powers, and the role of women in the church. In the Vatican and the universal Church, the progress of the debates is being closely monitored. With the church leadership in Rome, representatives of the bishops and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) want to talk next year about a paper of the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on another and rather central aspect of church life.

The instruction published in the summer contradicted efforts to entrust the management of parishes to teams of priests and lay people committed to the Church. Lay people can participate in church leadership, but only priests are allowed to actually lead, administer, moderate and coordinate. Several bishops had been very critical of the paper – as had numerous laymen.

Financial cuts and structural changes

Meanwhile, in the diocese of Trier, it will become clear what parish reform can look like in practice in the face of a declining number of priests and active parishioners, as well as declining church tax revenues. The Vatican had halted the original plans in Germany's oldest diocese in November 2019 after complaints from priests and lay people from Trier. So now the project is to be relaunched next year and tackled in a second attempt. Those responsible have calculated a total of five years for this task.

The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) is also preparing for financial cuts and structural changes. 17 million euros to be saved in EKD budget by 2030. One of the tasks of the synod, which will be reconstituted in May, is to achieve this goal. It remains open who will lead the church parliament as president, succeeding former FDP politician Irmgard Schwaetzer. Since candidates with political experience are in demand for the post, former federal ministers Herrmann Grohe and Thomas de Maiziere (both CDU) would be possible candidates.

Coming to terms with sexual abuse

In the fall, the synod will elect the new EKD Council. The Bavarian Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm has already renounced his candidacy for the presidency, so that – after Margot Kabmann in 2009 – a female bishop could be elected to this top office for the second time, for example the deputy president of the Council, the Westphalian President Annette Kurschus, or the Hamburg Bishop Kirsten Fehrs.

One major ie remains for both churches in any case: coming to terms with abuse. In the Protestant church, the long-announced scientific study on sexualized violence has begun; results are expected in fall 2023. In the Catholic Church, there has recently been turbulence in the Archdiocese of Cologne. Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki is under prere because those affected accuse him of instrumentalizing them for his course. Most recently, cover-up allegations were made against himself. He has passed the matter on to Rome for consideration.

The spring plenary session will also be held digitally

Archbishop Stephan Hebe of Hamburg, formerly head of personnel and vicar general in Cologne, is also defending himself against such accusations and wants the Congregation of Bishops in the Vatican to decide whether he should remain in office. For both him and Woelki, everyone is looking forward to March with anticipation, when an expert report on the handling of abuse cases by executives in the Archdiocese of Cologne will actually be available.

It is quite possible that the German bishops will deal with the latest developments in this matter as early as the end of February, when they meet for their spring plenary session. But this will also be the first time that it will be held purely digitally, and not in Dresden as planned, where the diocese of Dresden-Meissen is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Corona is putting a spoke in the wheel here too.

Former child soldiers from Colombia © Melanie Pies (KNA)

There are 250 worldwide.000 child soldiers. In Colombia, the Salesian Order of Don Bosco takes care of children who fought for rebel groups – and tries to prepare them for life afterwards.

After abuse, burns, injuries from mines, with health problems from tropical diseases and above all traumatized – this is how young people in Medellin arrive at a facility for former child soldiers. The Salesians of Don Bosco take care of the disturbed children and prepare them for a life afterwards.

"The aim of the project is to reintegrate the children and young people into society and thus into the world of work," says Rafael Bejarano. He is a Salesian priest and director of "Ciudad Don Bosco" in the Colombian city of Medellin. Round 1.200 children and adolescents live in the Ciudad, of which 120 are former child soldiers.

Affected person: "I perceived myself as a burden for my family"

More than 250.000 minors are abused as child soldiers worldwide, according to children's charity terre des hommes. "The time spent in the armed group is something you can never forget, but overcome," says former child soldier Claudia. Her name was changed for her protection. She came to the facility with psychological problems and has lived there for three years.

Claudia's hometown was marked by violence. In rural areas, guerrillas are active and come to visit families, as Claudia recounts. For her father, she says, it was very difficult to provide for the family. "I perceived myself as a burden to my family," Claudia explained.

At 16, she voluntarily joined a rebel group. She said she had always wanted to go to school, get an education and study. "Then I was confronted with the problem of not being able to study because of my family's financial situation, and that's why I looked for other ways."

There were many forms of violence among the guerrillas

"I didn't know what I was getting into," she recounts. According to Claudia, everyday life in the groups is different. The first thing she did was learn how to use weapons and train to be protected on the ground, as she recounts. Then came confrontations with the military. "That's when you were afraid and didn't know who you were up against. Does the other person perhaps have family?"

There were all kinds of violence among the guerrillas, including sexual violence. Claudia was lucky because she knew someone who could protect her, as she recounts. "I was better off."Other girls were forced to have sexual relations with the guerrillas.

She lived with the rebel group for a year and three months until she was picked up by the military while on an errand in town. This led her to the Youth Welfare Office and then to the Ciudad. "There are only two ways away from the rebels. Either the military picks up the child soldiers or they decide to flee themselves – that's very dangerous," Bejarano explains.

Helper: "The children must learn to trust again"

Olga Cecilia Garcia Florez, coordinator of the Child Soldiers Project, explains the Ciudad's approach: "The children must learn to trust again."Contact with parents is also important. In three and a half years, the former child soldiers receive training at the facility, for example as hairdressers or metal workers. "Everyone is here voluntarily and that's really why everyone is completing their education," Florez explains.

Colombia has been in civil war for 50 years. However, the historic peace agreement in late 2016 between the rebels and the government has made the work much easier for the institution, he said. "The integration of young people into companies is better because there are now laws that make it easier," Bejarano explains.

Claudia's brother was also in the rebel group, but they did not see each other there because they were in different units. "I didn't know that my brother had been arrested by the military," Claudia recounts. They met by chance at an event for former child soldiers. "We came to the Ciudad together. That made it easier for us because we were not alone." Now Claudia wants to take advantage of the opportunities she has in Medellin. "I want to use my scholarship to finish my degree," she says. "And I want to get to know other countries."

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