Former Pope Benedict XVI admits making false claim to child sexual abuse inquiry, 24 Jan 2022

[imstilla.grandma]

The former pope Benedict XVI has admitted providing false information to a German inquiry into clerical sexual abuse.

Benedict, who resigned as the global leader of the Roman Catholic church in 2013, said on Monday that he had attended a meeting with local church officials in 1980 to discuss a suspected paedophile priest. He blamed a previous written statement to German investigators – in which he said he was absent from the meeting – on an editorial error.

His admission comes four days after a report on the investigation claimed that Benedict had failed to take action against four priests accused of child sexual abuse when he was archbishop of Munich, a position the then cardinal, Josef Ratzinger, held between 1977 and 1982, and that his denial of being at the meeting in question lacked credibility.

In a statement to the German Catholic news agency KNA that was republished by the Vatican News website, Georg Gänswein, Benedict’s personal secretary, said the former pontiff would like to apologise for his mistake, while stressing that it was not made “out of any bad faith” but was a consequence of “an oversight in the editorial processing of his statement”.

Gänswein added, however, that no decision had been made at the meeting about a pastoral reassignment of the priest in question and that further explanations would follow once Benedict, 94, had read the full report.
Former pope Benedict admits making false claim to child sexual abuse inquiry

 

[kaen]

I don't know why I am not surprised..... as they say, "The fish rots from the head." Catholic leadership is responsible for the misery of tens of thousands of people.

 

[beatrixpotter]

Is my memory just crap? Because I honestly am not sure how well I could remember attending a meeting over 40 years ago. I always think about this when I hear people talking about stuff that happened decades ago. It needs to be significant and even then there is only so much of details or timeline I could possibly remember. I'm also only 44 vs 94.

 

[kaen]

Is my memory just crap? Because I honestly am not sure how well I could remember attending a meeting over 40 years ago. I always think about this when I hear people talking about stuff that happened decades ago. It needs to be significant and even then there is only so much of details or timeline I could possibly remember. I'm also only 44 vs 94.

Considering the fact that as the Pope, he was called upon to take a stand against sexual abuse among the clergy and he didn't take an active stand. The man who was the focus of the meeting is a known, convicted pedophile who had been accused of serial abuse. All of these meetings had lawyers and church representatives, interestingly with copious notes taken. I would think had I been questioned about being in a meeting about a man who would go on to serve a prison term I would at the very least have my secretaries check my calendars AND procure any contemporaneous notes. The pedophile in question admitted to sexually abusing a child-- something that would be hard to forget being in a meeting where that topic is discussed. And, to boot, he had 4 cases come before him where no actions were taken.



"Last week, the German law firm commissioned to investigate the German church found that before he was elected pope, Joseph Ratzinger was directly involved in at least four cases of predatory priests who he approved to be reassigned in full knowledge of multiple abuse allegations against them. Benedict led the Munich diocese from 1977 to 1982, when he was promoted to the Holy See to head the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith by his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.

But at the meeting in question, those in attendance who cooperated with the law firm’s investigation said Hullermann’s troubling situation was indeed discussed and that it was decided that since he admitted to sexually abusing a child, he would be given accommodation in Munich—under Ratzinger’s charge—while he received therapy. He was not at that time removed from active parish duty or kept from children. That would come later—when he was moved to a tourist parish in 2008 where he was described as “outgoing and friendly—especially with young people.” Pope Benedict: I Did Know About Priest Who Molested 23 Boys

 

[MoeInVA]

No surprise at all. It was a culture of secrecy that we see in many religions or other communities.

A bishop says we can deal with this quietly, don’t want to hurt the church. An elected sheriff says these boys should get anonymity, we can’t tarnish the town name. A police captain says publicizing police failures will undermine our force (and get me fired).

Moo

 

[Stormy_Meadows]

Is my memory just crap? Because I honestly am not sure how well I could remember attending a meeting over 40 years ago. I always think about this when I hear people talking about stuff that happened decades ago. It needs to be significant and even then there is only so much of details or timeline I could possibly remember. I'm also only 44 vs 94.

It's a question of conscience and ethics. I would certainly remember a meeting where the sexual torture of children was the topic. Pedophilia is a significant ethical topic and it's a person's conscience that holds the memory in place, particularly if you are in a KEY position to prevent further sexual torture of children. This guy is 101 and I bet he remembers stuff that happened decades ago. He's certainly going to prison for it: A German court sentences 101-year-old to 5 years for role as Nazi guard