VATICAN CITY. From the former Mater Ecclesiae Monastery come the first statements of Joseph Ratzinger after the report on sexual violence in the archdiocese of Munich and Freising, which the future Pope led from 1977 to 1982. Pontiff emeritus Benedict XVI corrected an essential statement on the report on the abuse of Munich. Contrary to his previous report, he took part in the meeting of the ordinariate on January 15, 1980, as he declares today to the Catholic agency Kna, taken up by Vatican News on the German channel.
During that meeting there was talk of a priest from the diocese of Essen who had abused some boys and had come to Munich for therapy. Ratzinger explains that the error “was not committed in bad faith” but “the result of an error in the editorial elaboration of his statement”. He is “very sorry” for this and apologizes, Vatican sources explain.
However, in the meeting in question, his secretary Monsignor Georg Ganswein reports to the KNA, “no decision has been taken regarding a pastoral assignment of the priest concerned”. Rather, the request was only made to “allow accommodation for the man during therapeutic treatment in Munich”.
The full statement sent by Gaenswein says that “as of Thursday afternoon, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had the report sent by the Munich law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl as a PDF file on the same day. He is currently reading carefully the statements contained therein, which fill him with shame and pain for the suffering inflicted on the victims ”. Although «he tries to read it quickly – continues Gaenswein – he asks for your understanding that due to his age and health, but also due to the large size, it will take some time to read it in its entirety. There will be a comment on the report ». However, the Pope Emeritus “now wishes to clarify that, contrary to what was stated at the audience, he participated in the assembly of the Ordinariate of January 15, 1980″. The contrary statement «was therefore objectively incorrect – he explains – He is keen to emphasize that this was not done in bad faith, but was the result of an error in the drafting of his statement. He will explain how this happened in the pending statement. He is very sorry for this mistake and apologizes. ” But the statement according to which «the pastoral office of the priest in question was not decided at that meeting remains objectively correct, as documented by the documents. Rather, the request was only granted for accommodation during his therapeutic treatment in Munich. ” Benedict XVI is “close to his former archdiocese and diocese of origin in these days – he concludes – and is very close to it in his efforts to clarify. Think above all of the victims who have suffered sexual abuse and indifference ».