Bishop Mixa investigated for sex abuse

Controversial Catholic Bishop Walter Mixa, who resigned last month amid claims he had beaten children and misused Church funds, is being investigated now for sexual abuse, prosecutors announced Friday.

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A spokeswoman for the Bavarian Justice Ministry said the Catholic Church itself had made state prosecutors in the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt aware of the allegation against Mixa.

The General Vicariate of Augsburg, from which Mixa recently resigned as bishop, announced: “The diocese of Augsburg has brought new information to the attention of the appropriate body, in accordance with the guidelines of the German Bishops Conference.

According to the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper, the accusation related to Mixa’s time as bishop of the Bavarian city of Eichstätt, between 1996 and 2005. But further details about the alleged victim were not known.

Last month, Mixa tendered his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI because of persistent allegations that he hit and beat children while he was a teacher at Schrobenhausen children’s home during the 1970s and 1980s. Eight people who lived at the home have come forward with claims that he beat them with his fists, a stick and even a carpet beater.

After weeks of flat denials, Mixa recently admitted he could “not rule out a cuff or two around the ear 20 years ago” and added that “I very much regret that today.”

A special investigation into activities at the children's home and the charitable foundation running it highlighted a number of seemingly questionable purchases signed off by Mixa.

These included spending 15,000 Deutsche marks on a Mary icon, DM43,000 on a probably counterfeit Piransi engraving, and DM70,500 on a fancy crucifix. Thousands were also spent on wine.