World

Pope Benedict Embroiled in German Pedophile Scandal

by Barbara McPherson | March 26, 2010 at 09:07 am

839 views | 26 Recommendations | 1 comment

The troubling history of the Catholic Church and abuse of children has Pope Benedict embroiled in yet another pedophile scandal. This time in Germany. The New York Times today released information about Pope Benedict when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and his handling of the case of a priest accused of pedophilia.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future pope and archbishop in Munich at the time, was copied on a memo that informed him that a priest, whom he had approved sending to therapy in 1980 to overcome pedophilia, would be returned to pastoral work within days of beginning psychiatric treatment. The priest was later convicted of molesting boys in another parish.

It is not clear that the then Cardinal Ratzinger had read the memo himself regarding Rev. Peter Hullermann, but the result was that Hullermann was placed where he had access to young boys even as he was being seen by a psychiatrist. Hullermann was convicted of crimes against boys in 1986 and more accusations of sexual abuse have surfaced.

This latest in a long string of stories about abuse of power inside the Catholic church raises some questions about the former Cardinal Ratzinger's handling of sexual abuse cases in Germany even while he is apologising to the Irish people.

Pope Apologises for Church Sex Abuse in Letter to the Irish

While the faithful in the Roman Catholic Church still hold that the Pope is infallible, this latest scandal in Germany makes those without the RC church question his judgement.

A new scandal unfolding in Wisconsin accuses the then Joseph Ratzinger of failing to act against a priest who has been accused of molesting over 200 children.

Pope Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) failed to defrock Murphy, even after receiving repeated warnings from U.S. bishops about the matter. Indeed, the future Pope Benedict failed to take any action against Murphy, even with the knowledge that Murphy was guilty of molesting as many as 200 children.

1 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

nanute

at 11:29 on March 26th, 2010

I'm still waiting for a statement by Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League in the US. I haven't heard anymore statements from the Vatican to the effect that this is all a plot to undermine the Pope. (As if he needed any help.) Apologists for the Church will come up with something to wash away the sins of the father.

UPDATE: I missed this: BBC News - Vatican attacks media on 'Pope role' in sex abuse cases