Mistrust and unhappiness in the modernist sheepfold

An interview about ill-tempered priests and mobbing in the congregation

"To what extent is the hierarchical-clerical construct of this church still suitable for making the liberating message of the Gospel tangible?"

Parish worker: Pastoral staff suffer from abuse of power

Whether it is bullying by volunteers or sexual assaults in youth work: the Federal Association of Pastoral Care Workers is sounding the alarm. Pastoral workers report severe abuse of power. A book now summarises their plight. Regina Nagel gives a first insight in an interview.

"I'm the boss here and that's how it works" or "She should be pushed up against the wall and given a proper..." - Regina Nagel has collected experiences of abuse of power by parish and pastoral workers and published them in a book. Her conclusion: she can no longer recommend her profession to anyone. In an interview, the chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Officers' Association talks about choleric pastors, mobbing in the parish and disregard for labour law standards in pastoral work.

Question: Ms Nagel, you are publishing a book on the abuse of power in pastoral ministry. How did this project come about?

Nagel: The book is based on a survey by the Federal Association of Pastoral Assistants. We see ourselves as a mouthpiece for colleagues who are affected by abuse of power. The trigger was the MHG study, which shocked many of us at the time. A year ago, we decided to conduct a nationwide survey among parish and pastoral ministers on various forms of abuse of power. 936 colleagues took part. A good two-thirds of them named experiences of abuse of power in the church. After the survey, I conducted 30 interviews. These are the source of the harrowing example reports in the book.

Question: What are the experiences of pastoral workers with abuse of power? Can you summarise?

Nagel: The central experience of non-ordained professionals in pastoral care is structural second-class status. Many colleagues are hindered and thwarted in their competences. The title of a report in the book is: "Good day, I am Mrs. ONLY". This author entered the pastoral profession qualified, committed and enthusiastic and had to experience: Without ordination I am always a "NUR".

The book "Abuse of power in pastoral ministry. Experiences of parish and pastoral workers" by Regina Nagel and Hubertus Lürbke will be published by Herder-Verlag on 12 June 2023.

Question: What do you mean?

Nagel: Many suffer from the fact that the Catholic Church system slows them down in their opportunities. For women, the problem is particularly tangible because they don't have the chance to join the clergy from the outset. The church system does not know gender justice.

Question: So abuse of power in the church is primarily something gender-specific?

Nagel: Yes, female pastors have a particularly hard time being respected. Not only women but also men mention this in the survey. Irrespective of this problem, it is true for all pastoral workers without ordination that they often remain in a supporting role - for example, when they have the main responsibility for sacramental catechesis. At the celebration itself, the priest is then the one who leads the service. For many colleagues this is not satisfactory in the long run.

Question: But this is covered by current church law. Why does this fall under the label "abuse of power"?

Nagel: With some incidents you have to consider that the whole system of our church is an abuse of power. If, for example, a parish assistant can preach brilliantly and the pastor forbids her to do so during the Eucharistic celebration because church law says that preaching is not possible without ordination, then this is not an abuse of power by this pastor, but it is covered by an abuse of power regulation of the system. If, on the other hand, a superior pastor humiliates employees or does not respect them in their competences or their spirituality, or even sexually assaults them, then he is abusing his power, because such behaviour is not legitimised by church or labour law. Many interviewees tell of such experiences.

Question: In your book you have worked out different types of abuse of power.

Nagel: We asked about 15 variants of abuse of power. The results showed that more than 70 per cent of the respondents who had experienced abuse of power felt that their competences were actively hindered, for example, when a person with many years of experience in funeral services was deprived of this area of work by the new boss and was only supposed to fill in when he was on holiday. Sentences like: "I'm the boss here and that's how it's done" can be heard. Others are denied employee rights. They hear: "I also work 70 hours a week." Some colleagues report physical sexual assaults. A total of 40 of the more than 900 respondents named this form of abuse experience. Confrontation with sexist remarks, such as "She should be pushed against the wall and given a good..." are even more frequent. Even more colleagues report spiritual abuse. Especially in the environment of new spiritual communities or traditionalist groups, it can happen that someone tells a rather reform-oriented parish worker that she should go to Međugorje or finally do an Alpha course because she lacks faith. One reports, for example, that her boss asked her when she had last been to confession - after all, she had not been to him. This is all encroaching, abusive and violates labour and sometimes human rights.

Question: Is there abuse of power only by priests?

Nagel: No, and abuse of power does not only concern laymen and laywomen. There are also many priests who suffer from their colleagues, their bishop or the entire church system. But of course we are primarily concerned about our members.

Question: Was the question of abuse of power by parish and pastoral ministers also a topic in the survey?

Nagel: There were a few who said that the survey had made them think about their own behaviour. In every pastoral activity there is a danger of not sufficiently respecting the spiritual self-determination of others. When I myself reflect on my professional life, the preparation of communion children for their first confession comes to mind. Even 40 years ago, I found that encroaching and, above all, from a developmental psychological perspective, completely out of line. I brought this up at parents' evenings, but I did not refuse to work in this area.

Question: Do dynamics in the community also play a role?

Nagel: Yes, volunteers were also mentioned. This will possibly increase: The fewer priests there are, the more it can happen that, for example, parish council chairmen think they have to determine everything now.

Question: If there is a suspicion of abuse of power: What about support from the dioceses for those affected?

Nagel: The survey showed that personnel managers often understand the situation, but their hands are tied in the church system. Many colleagues are then told, "We know that a lot of what the senior pastor is doing is not right and that it shouldn't be this way. But we can't find anyone else who is willing to lead this pastoral district" or "Why don't you stay for another year or two and then change; but please hold out for a while longer". In some, though not all, HR departments there is already an understanding that many are not doing well. In the end, however, it is usually the pastor who is protected.

Question: What was your biggest surprise in dealing with this issue?

Nagel: Unfortunately, nothing really surprised me. After 40 years in church service, not much can surprise you any more. I was very touched by the encounters with those affected in the interviews. Especially when it became clear how great the psychological strain and even physical illness was or still is. In one report, a woman tells how she had to suffer sexual assaults by her home pastor when she was 19 (in the decision-making phase for the profession of parish priest). In the article "In times of crisis", a woman tells of her stressful experiences with superiors in the summer of 2021. At the time, she was a pastoral assistent in places that were severely affected by the flood disaster. The story of a colleague who was very upset by the #OutInChurch campaign is also shocking, even though his story has nothing to do with being queer.

Question: What consequences does this abuse of power have for those affected?

Nagel: Many are thinking of leaving - or they have already left. Committed colleagues today, when asked why they work for the church, sometimes only answer: Because I earn my living with it. Much has been destroyed. Many find it increasingly difficult to continue pastoral work in this church. Some stay because they realise on the ground that there are people who need them. But some also become seriously ill. Others look for work in the categorical pastoral care in time, there they are sometimes a little freer in what they do.

"Unfortunately, nothing really surprised me. After 40 years in church ministry, not much can surprise you any more."

- Quote: Regina Nagel

Question: Why do you hear so little about this topic?

Nagel: One reason is certainly the concern of those affected whether they would be heard and taken seriously at all. I have been dealing with women affected by abuse for a long time. When it comes to sexual violence or spiritual abuse, women are often not believed. Even reasonable people have said to me, "She was an adult" or "At that age, you should know how to help yourself". That frightens me. It is overlooked how much one can be manipulated into a relationship of dependency even in adulthood.

Question: You have been a parish worker for 40 years. How do you protect yourself from abuse of power?

Nagel: After almost 20 years in territorial pastoral care, I was elected to various offices such as staff representative, acquired an additional qualification in organisational development and then studied business psychology. This has opened up new opportunities for me to use my skills both professionally and part-time. However, I was also seriously ill for a long time and have been a heart transplant for four years. At that time, some of my doctors asked me about professional burdens.

Question: What is your advice to pastoral staff?

Nagel: Be aware of your rights! Especially when it comes to questions of labour law. About thirty per cent complain that labour law is being disregarded.  Staff representatives can help in such cases. In addition, professional associations are opportunities to network and stand up for something together - as we are currently doing as a federal association against abuse of power in pastoral ministry. Anyone who has concerns or questions about this can reach my co-chair Hubertus Lürbke and me via the email address machtmissbrauch@gemeindereferentinnen.de.

Question: You chose the profession yourself - what do you say about your choice in exchange with your colleagues?

Nagel: I encourage older people who are suffering in this profession to take good care of themselves in their last years of work. Younger ones, i.e. anyone under 50, I advise to have a "Plan B", for example, to start a second degree or whatever. If at all, I would recommend the profession of pastoral minister to those interested. It is unlikely to become a lifelong profession for newcomers, as it is for me.

Question: What would have to change for you to be able to recommend the profession again?

Nagel: I am supposed to say something about this in the next few days at a lecture to students at the Catholic University in Mainz. I am honest: I don't know if there is any chance of reform in the Catholic Church. Above all, the clerical-hierarchical structure and the claim to truth of the Magisterium would have to change. I don't see anything seriously happening in this regard. What should be striven for independently of this would be more professional personnel management and a consistent deployment of pastoral personnel according to competencies, also with regard to leadership and management. However, as long as the system remains as it is, I cannot recommend the profession in good conscience.

Source

Cathcon:  A whole article which discusses the "profession" but not the Lord in whose service they are nor the purpose of the Church which is the salvation of souls. Of course, there will be unhappiness among the pseudo-clerics in these circumstances.

Ms Nagel is a keen Synodalist and shares the anticlericalism of Pope Francis.