Bishop Franz-Josef Bode © Hermann Pentermann
After several operations, Osnabruck's Bishop Franz-Josef Bode resumes his official duties. In the interview he talks about his health and a possible public list of names of church people involved in cover-up.
CBA: Ten months you were sick. At Christmas, you want to stand at the altar of the cathedral again for the first time and celebrate Mass with the Catholics in the Osnabruck diocese. What does it mean to you?
Bishop Franz-Josef Bode (Bishop of Osnabruck): Very much. I am happy that this is going on again after four operations and after times that were also life-threatening for me. It is a great gift to be back in the cathedral at Christmas. I am also especially looking forward to the New Year's Eve service, where I can close this special year for me with the people of the diocese.
CBA: How do you feel now?
Bode: Very good at the moment. Of course, I have some aftershocks in my legs due to nerve pain, and this will continue for some time. Many movements are not yet working. So I can not yet bend down to the ground. I also had a lot of muscle loss, but I'm working on it with a physical therapist.
CBA: They were unable to attend the two bishops' plenary assemblies in 2018. The Youth Synod has taken place at the Vatican and the German bishops have published the abuse study. How were you kept informed about the events?
Bode: I have had many visits, also from people in positions of responsibility from the bishops' conference. Vicar General Theo Paul and Auxiliary Bishop Johannes Wubbe have constantly provided me with information. The auxiliary bishop also took part in the youth synod. Thus, it was not so difficult to stay abreast of the situation. But it did bother me not to be able to get involved. I am thinking above all of the discussion about the reception of communion by Protestant spouses and the abuse study. In both cases, I am particularly challenged as chairman of the pastoral commission of the bishops' conference.
CBA: What do you think – also as a former youth bishop – about the Youth Synod in October?
Bode: The pre-synod in Rome in March with about 300 young people was a great advantage. This has already greatly deepened the Church's dealings with the younger generation. At the synod itself, it was more the bishops who were at the core of the meeting and less the young people, who had only limited opportunities to participate there. On a positive note: The church has undertaken to listen more to the youth and to respond more to their concerns. Youth should be able to help shape the church. The final document on the synod unfortunately came very late and was hardly noticed. But the summary letter of the Pope will again lead to a more intensive discussion.
CBA: Abuse study commissioned by bishops shows nationwide 3.677 victims of sexual assault and 1.670 accused clergy from. The Osnabruck diocese recorded 68 victims and 35 accused between 1946 and 2015. Were you shocked by the extent?
Bode: The high number is frightening. But we have to see that the majority of the abuse cases happened decades ago and that the cases have decreased in recent times. The study is important – for us to come to terms with the past and above all for the victims. The fact that cases from further back in history are becoming public today can help them to come to terms with their suffering. The cases have led to the division of communities and families and destroyed life stories. It cannot be perceived enough.
CBA: You announced cases of sexual abuse by a now-retired priest of your diocese on the third weekend of Advent. The very next day more victims came forward. Was this an impetus for uncovering other unknown cases?
Bode: It is quite possible that victims feel encouraged by the publication. I cannot rule out further cases. We do not know if we have perceived everything so far. In addition, the media publicity has the advantage of making our networks of help, such as the independent contact persons for abuse, even better known.
CBA: In the aftermath of the study, many are calling for the names of those who may have covered up earlier accusers by transferring them and not sanctioning acts to be named. What is your position on this?
Bode: In some drastic cases of knowingly covering up, it will be necessary to name names. On the other hand, many decisions were made by organizations within the church, so that it is difficult to name individual responsible persons. Moreover, some cases are not so clear even from today's point of view, and those involved in them are deceased. I therefore think it is difficult to draw up a list of perpetrators of responsible crimes.
CBA: From today's perspective, reproach yourself regarding your own decisions in the past?
Bode: I admit I underestimated the severe impact of the acts on the victims. In the past, even I didn't understand why people didn't come forward until 30 years later, why some didn't want to report the acts to the police. I didn't recognize the injury to the psyche enough. I see things differently today. The church also sees it differently today.
CBA: As a consequence of the abuse cases, some now call for a different sexual morality of the church. How do you stand on this?
Bode: We will have to deal intensively with how we as a church look at people who live their same-sex relationship in a committed and responsible way. How do we appreciate their sexuality? To this we must find answers. In addition, the cases of abuse show that celibacy can be indirectly responsible for such acts – in cases where false motives for this way of life lead to sexual misconduct. Celibacy must be reflected and chosen in real freedom.
CBA: They have a lot of catching up to do – in parishes, with faithful, in bishops' conference. Will you have to double your workload now?
Bode: 2019 will still be a year of restrained power. Thus, the auxiliary bishop and I will postpone the planned visitations of parishes for one year. This gives us time to devote more to the diocese. I have to think about the next seven years that I still plan in Osnabruck as bishop. It's no use wasting all your energy at the beginning.
The interview was conducted by Johannes Schonwalder.