"Ugly trait" - vigorous criticism of Cardinal Lehmann over sexual abuse

A study shows the extent of child abuse in the Catholic Church in the diocese of Mainz. The spokesman for the advisory board affected now has violent criticism of the former Mainz Bishop Cardinal Lehmann. His successor today also distances himself from him.

In view of the Mainz abuse study, the Advisory Board of the German Bishops' Conference has once again suffered violent criticism. Again, it becomes clear with all hardness and clarity that behind the sexualized violence in the Catholic Church, no random collection of shameful people acting hides, according to Johannes Norpoth, spokesman for the Advisory Board at the German Bishops' Conference. He suffered particularly sharp criticism of the former cardinal Karl Lehmann (1936-2018), who had been a bishop in Mainz. Five days after the study was presented, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf also commented. He was horrified by the cases listed in it and also distanced himself from Lehmann .

The study of the independent lawyer Ulrich Weber, commissioned by the diocese, had shown that cases of sexual violence have not been consistently pursued, partly concealed and downplayed for decades. "In many cases, the diocese as a responsible institution favors sexual abuse through inappropriate handling and lack of control," said Weber when the study was presented last Friday. With solidarity with accused and the discrediting of victims, parishes would have made it difficult to clarify and enable further incidents.

Weber said about Lehmann that he never considered dealing with cases of sexual violence as a top priority. In the Lehmann years 2010 to 2017, a considerable contrast between his public media appearance and personal attitude and personal action were recognizable.

Cathcon reported at the time on the Cardinal's night out with the devil. He was honoured with the title of "Knight against Deadly Seriousness" on the same occasion.  See also Cardinal and the Dancing Girls

"He has never fulfilled his claim for dealing with sexual violence in the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Mainz," said Weber.

Advisory Board spokesman Norpoth spoke in a written statement before the Synodal Assembly of inhumane behavior of the management team, which had been disclosed by the previously published abuse studies. The Mainz study again clearly shows that not only the perpetrators, but also responsible and in particular bishops, would have invited incredible guilt, also Cardinal Lehmann, long -time chairman of the German Bishops' Conference and for many, a church facing people, says Norpoth.

"The Mainz study shows another ugly trait of this bishop. This - rightly -  well -known representative of the German Episcopate from his plinth as a model for more than a generation of theologians and clerics. It should not be the only plinth that will be vacated this year." It remains to be seen whether the episcopacy itself will continue to be damaged by the bishops themselves in the upcoming Synodal meeting.

Mainz bishop: described cases "deeply frightening"

In very personal words, the current Mainz Bishop Kohlgraf also dealt with his predecessor Cardinal Karl Lehmann during a press conference, who was also chairman of the German Bishops' Conference for many years and, according to the study, had repeatedly doubted the systemic responsibility of the Church and the Diocese for Abuse States. "He embodies a church in dealing with people with abuse that delimits and does not face their responsibility," criticized Kohlgraf in Mainz.

The cases described are "deeply frightening as a Christian and man," he said. There was system failure in the Catholic Church. "Missing assumption of responsibility favored abuse," he criticized. It is not always easy for him to take responsibility for such a shape of the church "which is by no means overcome"

The Fifth and last Synodal Assembly for the reform of the Catholic Church begins in Frankfurt on Thursday. The reform project of the synodal path had been triggered by the abuse scandal. Concrete changes in the four areas of women are sought to deal with power, sexual morality and compulsory allocation of the priests. However, the Vatican has already made it clear that it rejects such a renewal.

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