Pope Francis acknowledges failure of Catholic Church to deal with scandals after recent abuse revelations. The German Bishops' Conference sees in the letter but also open questions.
In his letter addressed to all Christians, the pope asks for forgiveness for the church's failure to deal with abuse of children and others in need of protection. Concrete cause are, among other things, the recent reports on abuse cases in the U.S. and in Chile.
"With shame and remorse, we as a community of the Church admit that we did not stand where we should have stood and that we did not act in time when we realized the extent and gravity of the damage," Francis said verbatim.
Archbishop Schick: "Truth is a prerequisite for healing"
In light of reports of abuse scandals in the Catholic Church in the U.S. and Chile, Archbishop Ludwig Schick of Bamberg commented on Twitter.
On the subject of "coming to terms with the abuse scandal," he wrote: "The truth not only sets you free, it is also the necessary prerequisite for all healing and all progress for the better."
Federal government welcomes Pope's letter
The abuse commissioner of the German government, Johannes-Wilhelm Rorig, has welcomed Pope Francis' letter on abuse in the Catholic Church. It is an important signal, which could also have the highest importance for the processing of sexual violence in other institutions such as in sports clubs, welfare organizations or in schools, said Rorig the Catholic News Agency on Tuesday in Berlin.
Pope Francis had addressed all the faithful in a letter Monday asking forgiveness for the church's failure to deal with abuse against children and others in need of protection. He had thus reacted directly to the latest report of a grand jury in the US state of Pennsylvania, which was published last Tuesday.
Rorig further stated that there should be no "unwarranted institutional protection". Institutions should not wait until "those affected are on the doorstep", but must be proactive in coming to terms with the ie. The report from Pennsylvania showed that there would be "shocks on an unimaginable scale" if this did not happen. The church must review "all instruments and all rules that may hinder a complete clarification" and, if necessary, take corrective action.
Clear mandate to all those responsible
The chairwoman of the Independent Commission on the Abuse of Children, Sabine Andresen, also welcomed the letter. The Pope's words are a clear mandate to all those responsible in the Catholic Church. They must face up to the comprehensive processing of abuse cases in the past, initiate this on their own initiative and clarify the cover-up.
At the commission's public hearing last July, he said, it became clear that the rights of victims were still often disregarded. What is needed from leaders is an open attitude toward the injustice and suffering of affected people, Andresen said.
The commission began its work in early 2016. Until 2019, it will be financed by the Family Ministry and the Federal Ministry of Justice with around 1.4 million euros annually. It is to investigate the extent and consequences of child abuse in Germany and is attached to the Abuse Commissioner.
Why is the pope addressing the whole nation?
Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier emphasized the special character of the letter. Never before in his five years in office has the pope expressed so clearly "that sexual abuse by priests is always at the same time an abuse of power and an abuse of conscience".
Nevertheless, the question arises "why the Pope addresses this letter to the whole people of God, when the guilt and responsibility lie primarily with the priests, the bishops and religious superiors," said Ackermann. "Doesn't the pope speak too easily in the "we" form, thereby taking those in the Church to task who are more likely to be among the sufferers themselves because of the scandalous behavior of priests?"
On the other hand, Francis leaves no doubt "that he does not trust the clergy alone with the necessary power for renewal". Rather he sets thereby on the assistance of the whole God people.
Good timing for such a letter
At the same time, Ackermann said he was convinced that Pope Francis wanted to send a clear signal with the letter before he travels to the World Meeting of Families in Dublin next Saturday.
In addition to the U.S., investigative commissions in Austria and Ireland, among other countries, are looking into mass abuse cases in Catholic institutions. The German Bishops' Conference plans to present the results of its investigations into abuse in the Catholic Church on 25. September at its plenary meeting in Fulda.
Bishops' conference also wants to do something
Ackermann announced that the German bishops will present the results of a research project at their upcoming fall plenary meeting in Fulda.
The study, in which all 27 German dioceses participated, is titled "Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests, Deacons and Male Religious in the Area of the German Bishops' Conference".
What does the Pope's letter say?
With the admission, the pope at the same time called believers to penitential exercises in prayer and fasting. This, he said, should awaken conscience, "our solidarity and our commitment to a culture of protection and 'never again' in the face of every kind and every form of abuse".
Fasting and prayer will help "to place ourselves before the Lord and before our wounded brothers and sisters" and "to defeat the desire to rule and to possess.". Awareness of the sin helps to acknowledge the mistakes and to advocate "more strongly for a path of renewed conversion" in the present.
"No" to clericalism
In particular, Pope Francis blamed an "abuse of power and conscience" in clericalism for thousands of abuses. Clericalism, he said, creates division in the Church that helps perpetuate many of the evils. "To say no to abuse is to say no emphatically to every form of clericalism," the pope explained.
Abuse should not be repeated, nor should it find a space in which such a culture can survive in hiding.