After allegations of abuse against one of its members, the priory of the Order of the Premonstratensians in Fritzlar in northern Hesse will be closed for the 1st time. July officially dissolved. This was decided by the order, announced on Wednesday in nearby Vellmar a law firm based there and, according to its information, commissioned by the order.
The statement said the decision was made in appreciation of all the positions and concerns presented. With it, he said, a new beginning should be made possible, "opening the way to come to terms with and heal the disappointments and injuries caused by the abuse of a confrere, as well as the division and loss of trust". The 49-year-old religious, who was active in pastoral care in Fritzlar and taught religion at a school, had been arrested three weeks ago. At that time, the responsible public prosecutor's office in Kassel announced that there were suspicions of sexual assaults on altar boys in more than 30 cases. The accused had admitted to the acts known so far. With search measures extensive evidence material had been seized. The deeds would have occurred after so far realizations between 1994 and 2001. In the communication submitted by the Vellmar law office it is said that after the farewell of the Premonstratensians by the abbot of the responsible monastery Geras in Austria and the diocese Fulda, to which Fritzlar belongs, in August the diocese will take care that a takeover of the pastoral care by priests of the diocese takes place as soon as possible. According to the diocese of Fulda, the Fritzlar priory includes six religious, including the arrested clergyman.