Working as a chaplain despite conviction

adminonDecember 15, 2021January 5, 2022Leave a Comment

Working as a chaplain despite conviction

Original Shrine of the Schoenstatters © Harald Oppitz (KNA)

Schoenstatt Movement admits mistakes in dealing with priest twice convicted of abuse A. from the Archdiocese of Cologne. This had also been active for the Catholic spiritual community, the movement announced on its website.

At least two for the use of A. Responsible Schoenstatt priests knew about the crimes, but did not pass on this information. So far, however, there are no indications that the priest, who has since been dismissed from the clergy, has harmed people at Schoenstatt events.

A. According to the Schoenstatt Movement, he was already involved in building up a Schoenstatt youth group before his prison sentence. After the condemnations he had participated in offers for single women and family events. The promoters and organizers had not been informed about the crimes and their backgrounds. He had also repeatedly participated in offers of the movement for priests.

Waiting for expert opinion

A. was sentenced to prison in 1972 for "continued fornication with children and dependents"; in 1988, he received a suspended sentence because of renewed incidents. Nevertheless, he continued to be active as a pastor – in the dioceses of Cologne, Munster and Essen. It was not until 2019 that Cologne Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki banned the clergyman from exercising his priestly ministry. He was dismissed from the clergy in December last year.

To deal with cases of sexual abuse in the archdiocese of Cologne is to be held on 18. March an expert opinion by criminal lawyer Bjorn Gercke to be published. According to Woelki, it should also deal with the case of A. go. The Schoenstatt Movement announced its intention to "follow up and evaluate" the results. According to its own information, the Catholic spiritual community feels that about 20 people nationwide are homosexuals.000 people belonging.

Cardinal George Pell © Robert Duncan (CBA)

In the case of abuse allegations against Curia Cardinal George Pell, a witness has made new accusations against the Vatican's chief financial officer. The witness had incriminated Pell in another statement to Melbourne police.

Neither the new allegations have been made public, however, nor are the details of the previous "multiple accuser" allegations known. This was reported by Australian media on Tuesday.

One of the charges was withdrawn

Robert Richter, the 76-year-old Pell's lawyer, had asked in Melbourne court on Tuesday that the new allegations should not be the subject of the ongoing hearing – regardless of whether charges are brought or not, media quoted the lawyer as saying.

The hearing to decide whether to open the main proceedings against Pell had begun on 5. March started. Just a few days earlier, the proceedings already took a surprising turn when prosecutors withdrew one of the charges against Pell following the death from cancer of a key witness. Up to 50 witnesses will testify in court and be cross-examined by Pell's defense during the hearing, which will last several weeks.

Allegations of abuse

Cardinal Pell is accused of sexually abusing young men. Neither the exact number of complaints nor their details have been made public yet. The incidents allegedly occurred in the 1970s at a swimming pool in Pell's hometown of Ballarat, where Pell was a priest at the time, according to Australian media.

At the arraignment of the former Melbourne archbishop in June 2017, the Australian Bishops' Conference ied a statement recalling the legal principle of presumption of innocence and warning against pre-judging Pell. Pell rejects the allegations as "absolutely false and baseless". For the duration of the proceedings, in which Pell will personally participate, the prelate will rest his post as the Vatican's chief financial administrator.

With a new ecumenical “Coalition for Marriage,” Australia's Catholics and Anglicans are promoting a “No” vote in the referendum to introduce same-sex marriage.

The coalition was initiated by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, the Anglican Diocese of Sydney and the organizations “Australian Christian Lobby” and “Marriage Alliance”, it said in a press release on Monday.

In an interview with The Australian, Sydney's Archbishop Anthony Fisher warned that religious freedom and freedom of expression would be curtailed if supporters of “gay marriage” won the referendum. “Will teachers continue to have the freedom to teach church doctrine on marriage, or will they be forced to teach according to a politically correct curriculum?” asked Archbishop Fisher.

Advertising in families, communities and neighborhoods

On the website of the “Coalition for Marriage”, Internet users are asked to recruit supporters in their families, communities and neighborhoods in a snowball system. In doing so, the churches wanted to contribute to a “respectful” debate, said the Anglican Bishop of South Sydney, Michael Stead, according to Australian media reports. People should be able to speak their minds – “without the fear of being labeled a bigot or a homophobe”.

Criticism of the “No” campaign

The ecumenical No campaign, however, has been met with criticism. Bill Crews, a pastor at the Uniting Church, reportedly said the coalition “speaks for only a portion” of Christians.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to let Australians vote on opening marriage by postal ballot. The voting process is scheduled to begin on 12. September and will cost the equivalent of a good 81 million euros. With the referendum by mail, Turnbull wants to avoid a parliamentary vote out of consideration for the conservative wing of his Liberal Party.

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