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February 10, 2012
Merkel: paedophilia not just a Church problem
Published: 17 Mar 10 11:19 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100317-25929.html
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said that sexual abuse of children was not solely a problem facing the Catholic Church in Germany, amid a snowballing scandal over paedophile priests.
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"And first and foremost it is also something that is still happening to this day, in part in different forms but with the same consequences."
She said no-one should attempt to over-simplify a difficult matters testing all of society.
The German Catholic Church has been thrown into crisis in recent weeks as hundreds of people have come forward alleging they were abused as minors by priests between the 1950s and 1980s.
Accusations of abuse have now been made in around two-thirds of Germany's 27 dioceses in recent weeks including in Munich and Freising, where Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, was archbishop from 1977 to 1982.
Church officials suspended the priest named as Peter H. on Monday amid revelations he was still working with children 25 years after he was convicted of sexual abuse.
Another priest who had the job of overseeing the convicted paedophile resigned in response to the latest information was made public.
Priest Peter H. had violated the conditions of his employment by continuing to have contact with children and youths and had therefore been suspended from his duties “with immediate effect,” said Bernhard Kellner, spokesman for the diocese of Munich and Freising on Monday.
Peter H. was accused of sexually abusing boys in the Diocese of Essen in 1980, including forcing an 11-year-old to perform oral sex. Pope Benedict XVI, who was then Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger of Munich and Freising, approved Peter H.’s transfer to Munich for therapy.
AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)
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Your comments about this article:
The fact is though that if you set yourself up on a pedestal as a moral authority and then are exposed as hypocrites then you get what you deserve.
I hope.
From an earlier quote: "It plagues not only the RC Church but society in general. Regardless, the Roman Catholic church as other religious institutions claims to be the higher authority and the "spiritual leaders." They all must be held to a higher standard ..."
Frau Merkel is somewhat late in her appraisal..............like really late. She has the ear of the major news outlets at her call and therefore she has the ability to make statements on a moments notice. No doubt they have been begging her for a response. Why she throws herself into this debacle at such a late time is somewhat mystifying but of little consequence.
The Catholic Church is one of the two state churches so one can understand why she is attempting to minimize the situation.
A bigger parish.
Better, how about legally charging them with conspiracy and racketeering? Jail and liquidate! And I don't mean just the Catholics.....several others come to mind as well.