{"id":55954,"date":"2020-02-26T10:01:33","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T09:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/?p=55954"},"modified":"2020-10-20T06:14:29","modified_gmt":"2020-10-20T05:14:29","slug":"ratzinger-and-the-pedophile-priest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/en\/top-stories\/2020\/02\/26\/ratzinger-and-the-pedophile-priest\/","title":{"rendered":"Ratzinger and the Pedophile Priest"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"55954\" class=\"elementor elementor-55954 elementor-53289\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6f6c7469 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6f6c7469\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;],&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1fb3a87a\" data-id=\"1fb3a87a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-238b6fab elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"238b6fab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"stickyhead-logo\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"133\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/CORRECTIV-logo.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55547\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-eeab3d7\" data-id=\"eeab3d7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ec7e0b2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"7ec7e0b2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"headerbutton-red\" href=\"\/en\/single-donation\/\" target=\"blank\">DONATE<\/a>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1230074f elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"1230074f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-166a0687\" data-id=\"166a0687\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4917c921 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4917c921\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ratzinger and the <br>Pedophile Priest<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8ae997f elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"8ae997f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\n.soundcite-loaded {\n    background-color: #f5f5f5\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<script type='text\/javascript' src='https:\/\/cdn.knightlab.com\/libs\/soundcite\/latest\/js\/soundcite.min.js'><\/script>\n\n\n<section id=\"section17022020\" class=\"demo17022020\">\n  <a href=\"#leadin\"><span><\/span><\/a>\n<\/section>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-72750d41 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"72750d41\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9d825c8\" data-id=\"9d825c8\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79d8b4b8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"79d8b4b8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"719\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/hemd.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55257\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/hemd.png 2880w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/hemd-768x539.png 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/hemd-1600x1123.png 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/hemd-1024x719.png 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/hemd-800x562.png 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/hemd-600x421.png 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/hemd-400x281.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3f14fbb3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3f14fbb3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2bbf3062\" data-id=\"2bbf3062\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ee5e6f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5ee5e6f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" id=\"leadin\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A priest convicted of sexually abusing children says that, on a winter day, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is standing on his doorstep. Now, an investigation conducted by CORRECTIV and <a style=\"color: white; border-bottom: 2px solid #ff5064;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zdf.de\/nachrichten\/panorama\/kirche-sexueller-missbrauch-100.html\" target=\"blank\">Frontal21<\/a> reveals the ties of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI with the priest. The stories shared by alleged victims who came forward during the investigation show how the Catholic Church\u2019s prosecution of sexual abuse within its own ranks is insufficient.<\/span><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-59c03650 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"59c03650\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2dfdab84\" data-id=\"2dfdab84\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-33807a53 capital elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"33807a53\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In the outskirts of the Bavarian town of Garching, the chapel in Simetsbichl is a whitewashed building with a gabled roof. Benches are lined up inside, where an aureoled Virgin Mary gazes from the apse to an altar with candles, flowers and guest books brimming with personal pleas: for healing, for a new job, to get pregnant. And then, on a yellow notepad in a child\u2019s scrawly handwriting:<\/p><p><em>&#8220;The sexual harassment should stop \u2013 Yours, Stefan&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a2d2a78 elementor-hidden-phone bittbuch-caption elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3a2d2a78\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kinderschrift.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55386\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kinderschrift.jpg 2880w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kinderschrift-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kinderschrift-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kinderschrift-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kinderschrift-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kinderschrift-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kinderschrift-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Book of petitions in the chapel in Simetsbichl  \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7908e93d elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7908e93d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"958\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/satz-mobil.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55523\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/satz-mobil.jpg 2052w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/satz-mobil-768x719.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/satz-mobil-1600x1497.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/satz-mobil-1024x958.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/satz-mobil-800x749.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/satz-mobil-600x561.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/satz-mobil-400x374.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Book of petitions in the chapel in Simetsbichl  \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30ac282b longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"30ac282b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There is no date above the entry, so it is impossible to determine when the boy wrote his appeal to the Blessed Mother. Some requests in the books go as far back as the 1990s, but it is also possible to write at the back of an empty book. Maybe the boy wanted to hide his petition behind blank pages until newer prayers could catch up over time.<\/p><p>Today, Stefan\u2019s note points to a time when Priest Peter H., one of the most widely known perpetrators of sexual abuse in the German Catholic Church, led the parish in Garching. Until 2008, the priest also lived and worked just 30 minutes away by foot at the Church of St. Nicholas in Garching. For decades, he abused minor boys at both congregations. In response, the Church simply moved him from parish to parish, allowing his behavior to continue.<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Garching and in Engelsberg, in Essen and in Bottrop, a new investigation by CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21 <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reveals how Priest Peter H. abused young boys at congregations throughout Germany.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5781bba5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5781bba5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7df42081\" data-id=\"7df42081\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ae638d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ae638d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u00bbCool boys\u00ab<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67f1bd62 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"67f1bd62\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The case of Peter H. symbolizes the attempts of the church to cover up. To protect the abusers. To maintain silence up to the highest rankings of the Catholic Church. Including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4089f54a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4089f54a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3846dd63\" data-id=\"3846dd63\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48b3e774 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48b3e774\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In earlier investigations, the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New York Times<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had already made a connection between the then-incumbent Pope and Priest Peter H. But this was already known to the Church. In a 2012 letter to the influential Cardinal Reinhard Marx, a copy of which was obtained by CORRECTIV, bishops stated their concern about Benedict XVI\u2019s ties to the pedophilic priest.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> revisited the case in recent months. Through interviewing witnesses and evaluating documents, we found that that the number of children who were abused could be significantly higher than previously acknowledged by the Church. We found that the connections between the Peter H. and Cardinal Ratzinger, who would later be appointed Pope, were greater than the Church and its representatives have admitted to date. For years, a close confidant of Ratzinger was in charge of a parish alongside the priest, never preventing him from surrounding himself with altar boys, fully aware of the risk. Church leadership was also complicit. In 2000, Peter H. bragged that Ratzinger had been standing at his door. Something that Ratzinger now denies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, Peter H. lives in a multi-story building in Munich alongside families with young children. A playground can be seen from his window. CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tried to speak with H. several times to ask about what happened and offer the opportunity to explain his position as new information emerged. But all letters placed inside H.\u2019s mailbox since November 2019 have remained unanswered. To date, H. has declined to comment on new accusations.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, documents available to CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> show glimpses of what H. himself thought about his actions. The priest has been accused of sexual abuse in multiple places over several years. When asked about the allegations during internal questioning by the Church, he admitted that he is a \u201cpedophile priest\u201d, adding that the \u201centire world\u201d knew. But then he curtailed the fact by saying that he was never violent, never penetrated the boys and never engaged in oral sex. There was only one exception. He downplayed situations that can no longer be denied and alleged that, in many cases, he was framed. He also blamed the spirit of the times: Dealing with sexuality was more relaxed. The kids talked so openly about sex, and they were \u201cgorgeous boys\u201d. This is how he justified himself, according to documents from the Essen diocese. In short: He claimed he was seduced.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Priest H. said the young boys\u2019 open approach to sexuality gave him the idea in the first place and that the time he spent as a clergyman should not be downgraded only because of acts of abuse. He said he did a lot of good. And the Church let him work even though his tendencies were known. It protected him and showed him understanding and did not punish him, because such acts were assessed differently back then. He also said it is not possible for the Church to punish him now, so suddenly, because people think about things differently today \u2013 even if his acts were barred by the statute of limitations. CORRECTIV wrote several letters to H. and asked him for an interview. But H. has not responded to date.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4ad2ff43 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4ad2ff43\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-323b1cec\" data-id=\"323b1cec\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-77a385bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"77a385bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The \u00bbPied Piper\u00ab<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b3289dd longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6b3289dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Priest H. became popular with the congregation soon after he started serving the parish of Garching in 1987. Beside Garching, he was also responsible for leading the onion-dome church situated in Engelsberg, a picturesque Bavarian village nearby. He was considered energetic and was popular among the youth. People even said that women had fallen for him.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2ea046ec elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2ea046ec\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-376df0f2\" data-id=\"376df0f2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a23be7f elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3a23be7f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55490\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">H. was also in charge of the parish in Engelsberg \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7a7327c8 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7a7327c8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3be3d928\" data-id=\"3be3d928\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4adf954e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4adf954e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"575\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-mobile.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55527\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-mobile.jpg 618w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-mobile-600x1068.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Engelskirchen-mobile-400x712.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 575px) 100vw, 575px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">H. was also in charge of the parish in Engelsberg \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3acb45a8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3acb45a8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-502b7f05\" data-id=\"502b7f05\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-23645b82 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"23645b82\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI can only say good things about H., such a friendly man,\u201d said a secretary who worked at a school where the priest had taught religious education. Others in the village said he was a good preacher, more of an actor than a priest. A \u201cpied piper\u201d. He always ensured that the church was full of people. The congregation adored him.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who attended the church said that there was a contest among altar boys to determine who was the clergyman\u2019s favorite. He gave the altar boys alcohol and cigarettes. He was committed to the part, going on stage as a carnival comedian and organizing processions. \u201cHe approached people, was easy going, so you simply had to like him,\u201d said 71-year-old Rosemarie Anwander, who has deep roots in Garching. She was involved in the parish and contributed to the local village newspaper.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But then something shattered the peace.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">July 24, 1994. A parish festival is in the works. But early in the morning, parish councilor Klaus Mittermeier, a committed Christian who is \u201centhusiastic about priest H.\u201d, received an alert. On the fairground in front of the community center and on the wall of the rectory, someone scrawled accusations against Priest H. alleging sexual abuse. The exact wording can no longer be reconstructed today. Memories vary too much: from a ribald sentence to declaring that Priest H. loved one of the parish youth. Mr. Mittermeier only remembers that one boy approached him and said he couldn\u2019t be implicated because he had a girlfriend. \u201cBut I had other worries at the time, the parish festival,\u201d said Mr. Mittermeier. That is the reason he for addressing the allegations. The writing on the wall was quickly painted over, the writing on the floor covered with cement and a carpet. But suspicion arose and rumors spread.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5d355cd9 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5d355cd9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-38ce792a\" data-id=\"38ce792a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c6efaf6 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4c6efaf6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55492\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Parish councilor Klaus Mittermeier \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7d55656f elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7d55656f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-53718a94\" data-id=\"53718a94\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-276884f9 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"276884f9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-mobile.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55530\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-mobile.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-mobile-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-mobile-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-mobile-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-mobile-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-mobile-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/mittermeier-mobile-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Parish councilor Klaus Mittermeier \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d3eb70c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3d3eb70c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-67461384\" data-id=\"67461384\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c116220 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7c116220\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Summer vacation began shortly afterwards. Priest H. called on parish councilor Mittermeier. He said that he saw himself as a victim and complained about his suffering. He said he would leave the parish if the rumors did not stop. Mr. Mittermeier wanted to help him but demanded clarity: He asked H. whether any aspect of the rumors was true. If so, they would find a way to solve the problem. If not, he and the congregation would defend the clergyman and \u201cfight things through\u201d.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe were friends,\u201d said Mr. Mittermeier, adding that at the time he was \u201centhusiastic about his way of preaching\u201d. Priest H. denied everything and said that the rumors had no grounding.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The parish councilor and the priest agreed to fight the rumors. A handwritten speech from the time shows their strategy: \u201cRefute the truth contained in the rumors\u201d. Priest H. gave sermons in Garching and Engelsberg. He furiously rejected the allegations. If conversation between priest and believer are suspicious, then pastoral care is not possible; this is what members of the congregation recall about the angry sermon. He read it to every church in the parish and was met by applause, recalls Mr. Mittermeier. In support of the priest\u2019s campaign, the councilor also printed posters with a warning: \u201cBad words kill souls\u201d.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite their efforts, Mrs. Anwander, a former community worker, says that people knew something had happened in Essen, a previous station in H.\u2019s career. She says that her daughters were also altar girls for Priest H. and although many were aware that he was going to therapy in Munich, \u201cmost believed because of issues with alcohol.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She added: \u201cThe main thing: he was nice\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-59fc3373 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"59fc3373\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3120992\" data-id=\"3120992\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3352bd1c elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3352bd1c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55517\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Presbytery and church in Garching \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4dd4a6e7 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4dd4a6e7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7b402005\" data-id=\"7b402005\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f02d8f8 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f02d8f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-mobile.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55534\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-mobile.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-mobile-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-mobile-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-mobile-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-mobile-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-mobile-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus01-mobile-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Presbytery and church in Garching \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-60c61da6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"60c61da6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-776ec1e7\" data-id=\"776ec1e7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5eb39668 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5eb39668\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the time, the congregation did not know that Priest H. was being watched by the Church \u2013 or that he was a convicted sex offender. After being transferred from Essen to Bavaria in the early 1980s, the Church ordered him to undergo psychological treatment. \u201cH. was not capable of individual therapy due to his personality structure, only group therapy was possible\u201d, describes Dr. Huth, adding that H. \u201cconsidered himself a victim, above all\u201d.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, Werner Huth is 90 years old. He spoke with the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2010\/03\/19\/world\/europe\/19church.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New York Times<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sueddeutsche.de\/politik\/kirche-missbrauch-der-paedophile-pfarrer-ein-begnadeter-schauspieler-1.24937\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">S\u00fcddeutschen Zeitung<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about H. in 2010. His intention was to give no more interviews on the matter, but he said that new investigations motivated him to speak up. Dr. Huth, with whom H. attended therapy sessions, alerted Church leadership at the time and, according his statement, informed Auxiliary Bishop Heinrich von Soden-Fraunhofen that the priest was dangerous.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few years later, in 1984, an official court case was brought against H. for the first time. It was filed by parents in the Bavarian town of Grafing. Accordingly, the prosecutor\u2019s office investigated H.\u2019s sexual abuse of 12 boys in just one year, which the spokesman of the diocese confirms today. According to his own statement, H. explained the situation to Auxiliary Bishop von Soden-Fraunhofen. The Church reacted: during the investigation, the priest was briefly transferred to administrative tasks and then to Caritas, a Catholic organisation for relief and social work.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Huth established three rules for H. during therapy: First, he was not allowed to work with boys. Second, he was not allowed to drink alcohol. Third, he must be under supervision. \u201cIt didn\u2019t require any medical expertise to do this,\u201d said Dr. Huth. They are the usual precautionary measures, something that goes without saying. Dr. Huth still practices in Munich. But H. obviously did not follow those rules, and a court in Ebersberg sentenced him to 18 months\u2019 probation and a fine. With that, the state considered matters closed.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, despite the psychiatrist\u2019s warning, the Church reassigned H. to parish work and transferred him to Garching. The congregation knew nothing about the clergyman\u2019s criminal past. And again, H. was surrounded by children.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the move, the diocese in Munich got word of new accusations against H. in Garching. In response to a request from CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a spokesman for the Munich-Freising diocese wrote that in 1993, it was recorded that \u201cH. kissed children on the forehead when celebrating their first communion and that an older teenager is a regular visitor at the rectory.\u201d H. denied the kissing. He said it was \u201ca symbolic act without direct physical contact\u201d. As for the visitor, he said that he \u201clooked after the boy because his mother had erred in her ways.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1ab5492f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1ab5492f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-260b27d\" data-id=\"260b27d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3af06c4f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3af06c4f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Dazzling Friend<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1cbf17fe longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1cbf17fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although Auxiliary Bishop von Soden-Fraunhofen knew about H.\u2019s pedophilia, he played a dubious role in the following years. After becoming seriously sick in 1993, he moved to Engelsberg &#8212; the village that, together with Garching, fell under the pastoral responsibility of H.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-55a16a37 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"55a16a37\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-352ed03b\" data-id=\"352ed03b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e32ce7a elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1e32ce7a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55640\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Golden marble tablet on the church wall in Engelsberg \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-44c8e360 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"44c8e360\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9408c09\" data-id=\"9408c09\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4781ab9c elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4781ab9c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"526\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-mobile.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55638\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-mobile.jpg 658w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-mobile-600x1167.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tafel-mobile-400x778.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 526px) 100vw, 526px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Golden marble tablet on the church wall in Engelsberg \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d973d62 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3d973d62\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6be24d87\" data-id=\"6be24d87\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1eadaf4d longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1eadaf4d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was the same year that the Munich diocese was informed of H.\u2019s behavior. In response to CORRECTIV, a representative of the diocese wrote that von Soden-Fraunhofen moved to Engelsberg for private reasons. He supposedly relocated at the suggestion of his housekeeper, who had good connections to the town. At least, this is what was told to the congregations in Garching and Engelsberg and reported out by the media.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But there\u2019s more to the story. Dr. Huth told CORRECTIV that von Soden-Fraunhofen had said he would take care of H. after moving and was in \u201ccontact with Ratzinger\u201d. The psychiatrist assumed that the auxiliary bishop would follow through on supervising the priest. When he later learned that H. was still in contact with children, he said that he was \u201cappalled\u201d. He could only explain this as \u201cself-delusion\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until his death seven years later, von Soden-Fraunhofen would continue to jointly manage the two congregations with H. A gilded marble plate still hangs outside Engelsberg church as a testament to their time together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the beginning, H. was afraid, remembers Klaus Mittermeier, then- chairman of the parish council. If the auxiliary bishop came, \u201ceverything would change, he would control us,\u201d Mr. Mittermeier recalls of H.\u2019s statements at the time. But von Soden-Fraunhofen came and nothing changed. He kept silent and did not keep H. away from the children.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parish newspapers from December 1993 even document how von Soden-Fraunhofen and H. intended to celebrate a children\u2019s blessing: \u201cBishop von Soden and Father H. will lay their hands on all the children and bless them following the Liturgy of the Word.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p>H. recruited the altar children himself. Boys and girls started taking classes with him soon after communion. Over time, he filled the chancel in Garching and Engelsberg with over 100 altar servers. There was no keeping H. away from kids in either town. He created opportunities for himself &#8212; and von Soden-Fraunhofen did not intervene. Even when accusations were written on the wall at the parish festival, the auxiliary bishop did not utter a single word.<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One week after the festival, H. published a new issue of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pfarrnachrichten<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the parish newsletter, and expressed his thanks: \u201cTo all those who have helped in any way, a warm \u00abGod bless you!\u00bb\u201c. The church had raised 12,000 German marks. But in the margins, the priest had also published an image of a man rising out of the sea &#8212; holding two naked boys in his arms. It was not the first time this kind of photo made it into the newsletter. Sometimes, H. published a photo of a dreamy looking boy in front of a candle, others a boy in shorts and a T-shirt carrying amphorae or a boy\u2019s face in a fragmented picture frame. While they may appear to be harmless to the unsuspecting viewer, von Soden-Fraunhofen knew about H.\u2019s criminal past.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The auxiliary bishop was active in town affairs, according to the people of Engelsberg and Garching, who were interviewed by CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. He attended mass, taught lectures and took care of the \u201cyoungsters\u201d, always saying that he was \u201cthe chaplain\u201d. But if at any point a dispute arose with H., the priest would simply tell him: \u201cYou are the bishop and I am the chaplain\u201d. Following repeated requests from CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the diocese responded that \u201cthere is concrete evidence in the files that Auxiliary Bishop von Soden-Fraunhofen regularly provided positive information about H.\u2019s activity in Garching without any complaints.\u201d Regarding the \u201csuccess\u201d of supervising H., the diocese said laconically the result can be judged \u201cgiven the known events\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6bc8b8cb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6bc8b8cb\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-62253a88\" data-id=\"62253a88\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-532c9bfd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"532c9bfd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What Did Joseph Ratzinger Know?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-241b28b3 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"241b28b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The auxiliary bishop kept silent. Von Soden-Fraunhofen was born in 1920 in Friedrichshafen and later ordained a priest in 1953 &#8212; the same time as his friend Joseph Ratzinger, who later became the Pope.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2ab72513 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2ab72513\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-656b75ee\" data-id=\"656b75ee\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24883d6f longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"24883d6f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A commemorative publication for the ordination still bears witness to the consecration today. When Ratzinger went the archdiocese in Munich, von Soden-Fraunhofen was appointed his auxiliary bishop. Their contact continued when Ratzinger moved to Rome in 1982 and was appointed as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The two churchmen exchange letters, sometimes with coarse expressions. In a letter concerning a dispute about a Christian sect which Ratzinger, who has just arrived in Rome, redeemed, von Soden-Fraunhofen chummily called the cardinal <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cRindviech\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A stupid fool.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ratzinger had known about H. for a long time. Years before the events in Garching, the Church learned of two boys whom H. had abused in Essen. At the time, he was working as a chaplain in the Essen diocese. Instead of informing the police, the parents turned to the local priest. The Church reacted by transferring H. to Munich. He was to receive treatment with fear of punishment.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On January 3, 1980, the canon in Essen asked his colleague in Munich whether H. could be transferred to a diocese in Bavaria. He said there was \u201ca risk\u201d with the chaplain and he must \u201cundergo psychiatric-therapeutic treatment in Munich\u201d and \u201clive with a priest\u201d. He wrote that there was no trial pending against H. and that he could \u201cbe used for prayer services and liturgical services in the congregation\u201d as well as religious instruction in a girls\u2019 school. The Munich canon noted in their records for the vicar general that the matter would be decided during their ordinary meeting on January 15, 1980,\u00a0 and suggested that H. be posted as the priest in the congregation which he later served following his transfer to Munich.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the start, both the Essen and Munich dioceses assumed that H. was able to work in a congregation again. A possible withdrawal from congregation work was never open to debate. The decision was made on January 15 at the meeting headed by then-Archbishop of Munich, Cardinal Ratzinger. The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New York Times<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reported in 2010 that as archbishop, Ratzinger was aware of decision to reinstate H. in congregation work despite the risk he posed. <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/resources\/resources_comunicato-monaco-2010_ge.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Church denied this at that time<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Although \u201cthe archbishop of the time (and later Pope Benedict XVI) participated in the decision about the priest\u2019s treatment\u201d, Ratzinger was not responsible for assigning him pastoral work, according to a statement from the Vatican. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2010\/03\/27\/world\/europe\/27pope.html?searchResultPosition=5\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A vicar general named Gerhard Gruber who also assumed responsibility for this<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Today, the diocese somewhat dilutes the strong denial of 10 years ago: \u201cThe files do not show how intensely Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger involved himself in the case of H.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite its denial, the Church admits one thing: Cardinal Ratzinger knew about the case of H. during his time as archbishop. And later, as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger did nothing to protect the children of the congregation in Bavaria from the priest.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5e1c8deb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5e1c8deb\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-679eca7b\" data-id=\"679eca7b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-151eb24e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"151eb24e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ratzinger on H.\u2019s Doorstep<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6da1a0af longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6da1a0af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This brings us to a notable encounter in the year 2000. According to information obtained by CORRECTIV, Ratzinger, who would later become Pope, met H. at least once when he wanted to visit his friend von Soden-Fraunhofen in Engelsberg. At the time, Ratzinger was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, the second-in-command after the Pope. Today he denies having met H.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2437d176 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2437d176\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-64c8bbf5\" data-id=\"64c8bbf5\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-261ba251 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"261ba251\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55498\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Garching_pfarrhaus-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Presbytery in Garching \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3c326353 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3c326353\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7688e692\" data-id=\"7688e692\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31c9dc38 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"31c9dc38\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"583\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tuer-mobile.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55540\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tuer-mobile.jpg 626w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tuer-mobile-600x1054.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tuer-mobile-400x703.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 583px) 100vw, 583px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Presbytery in Garching \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2a4466bd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2a4466bd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-390bbdb7\" data-id=\"390bbdb7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-77692dd2 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"77692dd2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The auxiliary bishop was already very sick when H. excitedly told him about his encounter with Ratzinger, said former parish councilor Mittermeier. He still remembers the conversation vividly: Ratzinger stood on the doorstep of the rectory in Garching and rang the doorbell. Mr. Mittermeier said that H. asked, \u201cCan you imagine who was at my door last night?\u201d Mr. Mittelmeier said that of course, he had no idea. H. told him it was Ratzinger himself. The to-be Pope had told him that \u201che wanted to see his fellow student von Soden-Fraunhofen.\u201d However, since he was already very sick, he had not opened the door. Then Ratzinger asked H. to phone his friend. Subsequently, the cardinal visited von Soden-Fraunhofen. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t know whether H. went along,\u201d said Mr. Mittermeier. H. had also mentioned meeting with Ratzinger while speaking to representatives of the Church about child abuse in 2010. The conversation is filed in Church records.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the request of CORRECTIV, the Archdiocese of Munich confirmed that personnel files note that Joseph Ratzinger visited von Soden-Fraunhofen in January 2000. \u201cThe ordinariate has no knowledge of a meeting between Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and H.,\u201d wrote the spokesman of the diocese. After the publication of this investigation, the diocese of Munich corrected their previous statement: they confirmed that church files contained testimonies of H. about the meeting with Ratzinger.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI did not answer direct requests for comment from CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21 <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at first. One day after the publication of this investigation, his personal private secretary, Georg G\u00e4nswein, called ZDF and explained on behalf of Ratzinger: \u201cIt is correct that he visited the auxiliary bishop in 2000, because he was very ill\u201d. But Benedict XVI never met H. in person, according to G\u00e4nswein. During the visit to the auxiliary bishop, they \u201cdid not talk about H.\u201d, remembers Ratzinger today. \u201cIt was known that H. lived in the same parish where von Soden was\u201d, said G\u00e4nswein. \u201cBenedict does not know anything else\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, the two friends, Ratzinger and von Soden-Fraunhofen, were in contact while H. served the congregations in Garching and Engelsberg alongside the auxiliary bishop. Ratzinger was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. But the auxiliary bishop died six months later, in July.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following the visit to von Soden-Fraunhofen, Ratzinger did not do anything to remove H. from office. There was no question or concern, no investigation, no consequences. On the contrary: H. continued to work in Garching for eight years. He continued to train altar boys and teach schoolchildren. Parents entrusted their children to the clergyman. Thanks to his appointed position and the cardinal\u2019s silence, he was given countless opportunities to surround himself with minors. It is not certain whether he molested more children. H. declined multiple requests for comment from CORRECTIV.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6b04b8ab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6b04b8ab\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-75573238\" data-id=\"75573238\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7535e74f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7535e74f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Barred by the Statute of Limitations, Forgotten, Dead<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ffe1095 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5ffe1095\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Church only first intervened in 2008. H. was transferred to Bad T\u00f6lz, also in Bayern, where he would be a chaplain for tourists. He would no longer work with children. But the congregation was outraged, and many members wrote letters to Munich petitioning to keep their priest.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1a8f03b0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1a8f03b0\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3b50e67\" data-id=\"3b50e67\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5034983a longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5034983a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the new Archbishop Marx insisted. At the time, the Church had just been shaken by the abuse scandals in Bonn, Aachen and Trier \u2013 and Marx had the files about the abuse cases sent to him. Unlike former Archbishop Ratzinger, he feels compelled to intervene now. Still, he did not make anything public.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But with time, word about Peter H. and his abuses got out. In 2010, the public prosecutor\u2019s office in Munich investigated the priest\u2019s sexual abuse of children in Garching up until 1993. Although the investigation was discontinued due to the statute of limitations, the connection between Ratzinger and H. made it into public view and the media put pressure on the Church, which finally withdrew H.\u2019s permission to practice pastoral care. A Church court would investigate the alleged instances. Unlike German criminal law, the Church suspends the statute of limitations for sexual abuse. New victims came forward to both the public prosecutor and the Church.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Franz Josef Overbeck, Bishop of Essen, and Cardinal Reinhard Marx conducted the Church\u2019s investigations. The case of H. became a matter for those in the top of the ranks. But it also not about the victims in this case. In 2012, the Bishop of Essen sent a letter \u2013 a copy of which was obtained by CORRECTIV \u2013 to Cardinal Marx, stating his actual end goal: \u201cYou, the same as I, know that the case of Peter H. is unfortunately linked to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI by many media representatives\u201d, wrote the Bishop of Essen. \u201c(&#8230;) in this context, I would like to discuss and agree with you how we can ensure that Peter H. is accompanied and watched.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In response to CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Bishop Overbeck wrote that he wanted to advance and accelerate the canonical procedure: \u201cMy expectations were that, given its dimension, the case of H. had to be brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible.\u201d When asked about the letter, Cardinal Marx\u2019s spokesman said that the investigation concerned \u201cthe entire previous activity of H.\u201d, thus including the \u201cyears of Archbishop Ratzinger\u2019s term in office\u201d.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simultaneously, reports by those who said they were abused by H. piled up. According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sueddeutsche.de\/bayern\/missbrauch-in-der-katholischen-kirche-wir-stehen-vor-einem-scherbenhaufen-1.11857\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">S\u00fcddeutsche Zeitung<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in March 2010 the Ordinariate of the Dioceses of Essen and Freising investigated two cases. Internal documents show that the Church questioned H. that same year. But he remained silent on the advice of his attorney. He did not want to deny the allegations.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-400daaff elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"400daaff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<p style=\"font-family:source sans pro; font-size:18px; margin: 0 0 15px; text-align:center\"><i style=\"color:#ff5064;\" class=\"fas fa-envelope\"><\/i>&nbsp; <strong>Get on the list<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div id=\"mc_embed_signup\">\n<form action=\"https:\/\/correctiv.us12.list-manage.com\/subscribe\/post?u=74b23e1b0af8c36eb217e01c1&amp;id=6c6f27383d\" method=\"post\" id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" name=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" class=\"validate\" target=\"_blank\" novalidate>\n    <div id=\"mc_embed_signup_scroll\">\n\t\n\t<input type=\"email\" value=\"\" name=\"EMAIL\" class=\"email\" id=\"mce-EMAIL\" placeholder=\"email address\" required>\n    <!-- real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups-->\n    <div style=\"position: absolute; left: -5000px;\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"b_74b23e1b0af8c36eb217e01c1_6c6f27383d\" tabindex=\"-1\" value=\"\"><\/div>\n    <div class=\"clear\"><input type=\"submit\" value=\"Subscribe\" name=\"subscribe\" id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe\" class=\"button\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<style>\n\n\t@media (max-width: 768px) {\n.mc-field-group {\n    display: block !important;\n}\n\n.newsletter-breaker p {\n  font-size:16px !important;  \n}\t\n\n\n\t#mc_embed_signup .button {\n    margin: -6px 0px 0px 0px !important;\n\theight: 50px !important;\n\t\t    -webkit-border-radius: 0px !important;\n    -moz-border-radius: 0px !important;\n    border-radius: 0px !important;\n}\n\t\t#mc_embed_signup input.email {\n    -webkit-border-radius: 0px !important;\n    -moz-border-radius: 0px !important;\n    border-radius: 0px; !important}\n\t\t\n\t}\n\n\t\n\t#mc_embed_signup form {text-align:center; padding:10px 0 10px 0;}\n.mc-field-group { display: inline-block; } \/* positions input field horizontally *\/\n#mc_embed_signup input.email {font-family:\"Source Sans Pro\",\"Helvetica Neue\",Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; border: 1px solid #ABB0B2;  -webkit-border-radius: 30px; -moz-border-radius: 30px; border-radius: 30px; color: #343434; background-color: #fff; box-sizing:border-box; height:32px; padding: 25px 25px; display: inline-block; margin: 0; width:350px; vertical-align:middle;}\n#mc_embed_signup label {display:block; font-size:16px; padding-bottom:10px; font-weight:bold;}\n#mc_embed_signup .clear {display: inline-block;} \/* positions button horizontally in line with input *\/\n#mc_embed_signup .button {font-family: Source Sans Pro; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 13px; border: none; -webkit-border-radius: 30px; -moz-border-radius: 30px; border-radius: 30px; letter-spacing: .03em; color: #fff; background-color: #1E4664; box-sizing:border-box; height:40px; line-height:32px; padding: 0px 20px 0px 20px; display: inline-block; margin: 0; transition: all 0.23s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: middle;}\n#mc_embed_signup .button:hover {background-color:#777; cursor:pointer;}\n#mc_embed_signup div#mce-responses {float:left; top:-1.4em; padding:0em .5em 0em .5em; overflow:hidden; width:90%;margin: 0 5%; clear: both;}\n#mc_embed_signup div.response {margin:1em 0; padding:1em .5em .5em 0; font-weight:bold; float:left; top:-1.5em; z-index:1; width:80%;}\n#mc_embed_signup #mce-error-response {display:none;}\n#mc_embed_signup #mce-success-response {color:#529214; display:none;}\n#mc_embed_signup label.error {display:block; float:none; width:auto; margin-left:1.05em; text-align:left; padding:.5em 0;}\n@media (max-width: 768px) {\n    #mc_embed_signup input.email {width:100%; margin-bottom:5px;}\n    #mc_embed_signup .clear {display: block; width: 100% }\n    #mc_embed_signup .button {width: 100%; margin:0; }\n}\n\n\t\n\t\n<\/style>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11005422 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"11005422\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In September 2018, an article was published in the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.faz.net\/aktuell\/politik\/inland\/katholische-kirche-scheitert-an-ahndung-von-missbrauch-15788587.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung<\/em><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which referenced an instance of abuse in Garching. No location and nor names are indicated in the article. However, it describes a case in which the priest in question allegedly abused a 14-year-old boy during confession. At the time, the child\u2019s father noticed how his son began repeatedly destroying the genital areas of plush toys. But the Church didn\u2019t believe the father or his son. According to the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FAZ<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> article, the child received psychological treatment. The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FAZ<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> writes that the priest and the Church denied the allegation.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But one Garching resident backed the family\u2019s claims. He was acquainted with the father. Another resident told CORRECTIV that he attended group therapy for people who had been abused with the boy. He said that in one session, the boy, today an adult man, collapsed. Several attempts by CORRECTIV to contact the boy were left unanswered. A spokesperson for diocese of Munich confirmed the instance to CORRECTIV and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontal21<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cThe Archiepiscopal Ordinariate of Munich took the traumatization of those affected very seriously and provided financial aid.\u201d The diocese did not comment on the fact that\u00a0 the Church court did not believe the man abused.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Altogether, information from diocese contacted throughout this investigation show that there were \u201cthree victims who had concrete accusations\u201d in Garching: One instance that lasted from 1987 to 1993, one in 1994 and another in 1996. Two of the confirmed cases happened concurrent with Auxiliary Bishop von Soden-Fraunhofen\u2019s time as H.\u2019s supervisor, when he repeatedly reported that everything was fine. The diocese wrote that all three cases were closed by the public prosecutor\u2019s office due to the statute of limitations, but that it made payments to the families in two.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Priest Peter H.\u2019s child abuse has not been legally proven in Garching. But the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office of Munich II is looking into the allegations again and checking \u201cwhether there are further acts and whether investigations are to be started,\u201d according to a statement submitted to CORRECTIV.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insinuations or complaints remain barred by the statute of limitations, and people are still suffering because nobody believes them. However, reports from Essen, Garching, Munich and Grafing show clearly how Priest Peter H. took advantage of young boys: how he created opportunities for himself and abused his power. H. could contribute to the clarification. But he keeps silent.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2018, following emerging scandals, the Catholic Church released an internal study of instances of pastoral abuse. The case of H. is not the only one that shook the German Church. They had documented instances of sexual abuse in Berlin at Canisius College; in Bonn at the Aloisius College; in Aachen at a Benedictine abbey. They also recognized sexual abuse in Ettal and in the choir at the Cathedral of Regensburg. The news of systematic abuse in institutions of the Church came in fast. Cardinal Marx and the German Bishops\u2019 Conference knew they had to act and agreed to have all cases of sexual abuse in Germany after WWII investigated by an independent commission. The study was then presented in Fulda, in Hessen. The names of the victims and of the perpetrators were kept anonymous, but the sheer dimension was devastating. Over 70 years, 1,670 priests and members of the clergy were alleged of sexual abuse. There were 3,677 people who had been abused. Cynically, the study notes that, on average, there were only 2.5 victims for every accused priest. But that\u2019s only the number of cases that had been reported \u2013 the true figure may be much higher. A pedophile who is protected by the Church is unlikely to stop after just two or three abuses. The case of Peter H. shows that number of children abused by a single priest can be greater than 10 times that estimate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indeed, the findings of this investigation show that it is likely that H. began abusing children earlier than is known and that more boys than assumed are his victims.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7bebcbdd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7bebcbdd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8582ede\" data-id=\"8582ede\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7f7997af elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7f7997af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Naked Chaplain<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d5940c6 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2d5940c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The coal city of Bottrop is located in the northern Ruhr area. This is where it all began, in the neo-Gothic St. Cyriac church. It was here that Peter H. began working as a chaplain for the first time after his ordination in 1973. It was also here, at a caf\u00e9 near the church, that three men met one evening last October. CORRECTIV reached out people who were abused by H. and asked if they were willing to share their experiences.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, they are in their mid-50s. They all know H. from when they were altar boys. They all claim to be victims.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-46dc7498 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"46dc7498\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-73364992\" data-id=\"73364992\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f0ee75e elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1f0ee75e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/markus_elstner.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55506\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/markus_elstner.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/markus_elstner-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/markus_elstner-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/markus_elstner-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/markus_elstner-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/markus_elstner-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/markus_elstner-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Markus Elstner and Dirk Bongartz from Bottrop  \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3f95e0d3 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3f95e0d3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b967515\" data-id=\"b967515\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-352a7e2c elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"352a7e2c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"532\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_kirche-mobile.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55542\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_kirche-mobile.jpg 571w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_kirche-mobile-400x771.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Markus Elstner and Dirk Bongartz from Bottrop  \u00a9 Ivo Mayr\/CORRECTIV<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-51edacd6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"51edacd6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a482f17\" data-id=\"a482f17\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72deaedb longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"72deaedb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Markus Elstner is one of them. For years, suppressed the effects of abuse, turning to alcohol to relieve the pain. When H.\u2019s story first appeared in the media in 2010, and he saw the face of his former abuser flickering on the screens, it was like a \u201cflashback\u201d, he said.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr. Elstner comes from a difficult family background. His father wanted to the kill the whole family, he shot his wife before killing himself. From time to time the children had to stay in a shelter. Then his mother turned to the Catholic Church for support, where she met H., then a young chaplain.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He offered to take care of little Markus, saying that he wanted to help the mother. She accepted gratefully. So H. followed through: He invited young Elstner to his home and gave him cigarettes and wine. Then, porn movies began to follow. Finally, he would start touching the boy. Visits ended with fellatio, said Mr. Elstner. And while cigarettes and heavy drinking often signaled the start of an abusive episode, H. raged against drinking and smoking while playing his role in the Bottrop parish.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elstner says he was abused on more than 20 occasions. Even after H. was transferred to Essen, he called the mother and tried to persuade her to send her son for a visit. He would even pay for the ticket. But Elstner, now 14, found the strength to fight back. He refused to go and convinced the mother against the trip. He did not have to get on the bus.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-764ffc18 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"764ffc18\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6b2bcb05\" data-id=\"6b2bcb05\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-81b992e elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"81b992e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_tatort.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55515\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_tatort.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_tatort-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_tatort-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_tatort-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_tatort-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_tatort-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bottrop_tatort-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Bongartz and Elstner at priest Peter H.'s house in Bottrop<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-78f7d644 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"78f7d644\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-781c0db\" data-id=\"781c0db\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ecde073 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ecde073\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tatort-mobile.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55566\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tatort-mobile.jpg 1650w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tatort-mobile-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tatort-mobile-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tatort-mobile-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tatort-mobile-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tatort-mobile-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/tatort-mobile-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Bongartz and Elstner at priest Peter H.'s house in Bottrop<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5362e2eb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5362e2eb\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-62646ec9\" data-id=\"62646ec9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d6b2ebf longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3d6b2ebf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dirk Bongartz also opened up about his experiences with H. It happened before communion. The chaplain invited him to spend the night, and his mother obliged, sending his older brother and one of his friends along, too. While the older boys slept in their own room, H. wanted to spend the night alone with young Bongartz. The chaplain put on a bathrobe. Finally, he stripped naked and lied down naked with the child.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI didn\u2019t like it, I didn\u2019t want to,\u201d said Mr. Bongartz, stating that he also said so at the time. It was only because of his brother and his friend in the other room that H. finally stopped and he was able to get out of the situation. \u201cIt was an awful night,\u201d Mr. Bongartz said, adding that he\u00a0 has not spoken to anyone about the event \u2013 but that at the time, his brother\u2019s expression said: \u201cNow you know what he is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1b6d4d05 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1b6d4d05\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bf13928\" data-id=\"bf13928\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3532f44c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3532f44c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Guardian of Morality<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f4bec81 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6f4bec81\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For years, the pattern continued: Peter H. abused young boys with impunity and under the protection of the Church. Through wine and small gifts, he subdued children who, in his role as a priest, he should have protected. When the scandal threatened to blow up, the Church moved H. to a new location.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-238e671f elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"238e671f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-710383c\" data-id=\"710383c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1157584a elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1157584a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/the-journey-desktop.gif\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55962\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-78f981aa elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"78f981aa\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b71d2a\" data-id=\"b71d2a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68b0a139 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"68b0a139\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"572\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/the-journey-mobile.gif\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-55964\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4a31214 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4a31214\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-29c2f5b6\" data-id=\"29c2f5b6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28651d77 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"28651d77\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He had no need to fear punishment. Bishops and cardinals covered for him, always allowing the opportunity to look for new victims.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even when the abuse scandals surfaced and shook the foundations of the Church, its members did not search for victims on its own initiative. In fact, H. has only been convicted by the Church\u2019s internal court in seven instances \u2013 even though they have evidence from 23 people who alleged sexual abuse. In 2020, even the Diocese of Essen and Munich estimate there are 28 victims.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To this day, H. lives as a free man.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the three men in Bottrop talk about Priest Peter H. at the coffee table, other names come up. Two brothers, also abused. One drank himself to death, the other is in bad shape. So-and-so and what\u2019s his name were also abused by H.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After years of the Church supressing the truth, Elstner wants justice. He has retained an attorney and is fighting for damages. So far, he has received 9,000 euros. But Mr. Elstner wants more. His attorney, Andreas Schulz, considers that the Church, with its constant denial and cover-ups, is to blame for the life-long mental devastation of his client. The attorney believes this also applies to others who have suffered because of the Church\u2019s inaction. He is demanding 500,000 euros from the Church, and that statute of limitations for child abuse be suspended. He said that the fate of his client shows that \u201cchildren repress this and only become aware of what was done to them much later, by means of painful therapy sessions.\u201d It is not admissible that this should act as protection for perpetrators.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFor responsible individuals in the dioceses, it has been clear for years that H. was abusing boys indiscriminately,\u201d said attorney Schulz. The case shows the whole \u201centanglement of the Church\u201d up to Pope Emeritus Benedict. Firstly, Ratzinger was archbishop when an abuser came from Essen to Munich and was allowed to continue to work in parishes. Secondly, a confidant of Ratzinger leads a parish together with H., after the conviction of the latter, even though he knew of the risk. And in 2000 Ratzinger even stood on H.\u2019s doorstep in Garching.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe Church has done nothing for decades to protect the children. It has hidden these things and hushed them up and, from my client\u2019s perspective, acted like a pedocriminal association,\u201d Schulz said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr. Elstner puts it even more clearly: \u201cFor me, the Church is an institution in which pedophiles have been protected.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><b>This text was updated on February, 19, 2020 to add new statements from the diocese of Munich and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-166ccb98 longread elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"166ccb98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this story has moved you because of your own experiences with the Church, know that our investigation into the abuses of Priest H. continues. If you know H., be it from Bottrop, Essen, Munich, Grafing, Garching, Engelsberg or Bad T\u00f6lz, please contact us. Every lead is valuable. We treat all communication as confidentially. You can contact Marcus Bensmann at <\/span><a href=\"mailto:marcus.bensmann@correctiv.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marcus.bensmann@correctiv.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or use our anonymous mailbox.<\/span><\/em><\/p><p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Victims of sexual abuse or their relatives in need of help or advice in Germany can call the free number +49 (0)800-2255530 to get information about therapies and legal tools.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-76402dc3 elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"76402dc3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-44c7663b\" data-id=\"44c7663b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71e2a22 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"71e2a22\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">This investigation has been<br>\nmade possible by our<br>\nsupporters.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6077b43 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6077b43\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Donate now to support independent,<br \/>investigative journalism.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-13bbc263 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"13bbc263\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"\/en\/single-donation\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Donate now<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25a135e5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"25a135e5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div 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data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Reporting by<\/strong>:\u00a0Marcus Bensmann, Michael Haselrieder, Anne Herzlieb <strong>Editorial:<\/strong> Olaya Arg\u00fceso, Justus von Daniels, Michel Penke <span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Text<\/span>: Marcus Bensman\u00a0<strong>Pictures: <\/strong>Ivo Mayr\u00a0<strong>Design<\/strong>: Benjamin Schubert, Bel\u00e9n R\u00edos Falc\u00f3n <strong>Translation:<\/strong> Max Donnheiser<\/p><p>Published: February 26, 2020<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DONATE Ratzinger and the Pedophile Priest A priest convicted of sexually abusing children says that, on a winter day, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is standing on his doorstep. Now, an investigation conducted by CORRECTIV and Frontal21 reveals the ties of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI with the priest. The stories shared by alleged victims who came forward [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1889,"featured_media":55586,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[300],"class_list":["post-55954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories","tag-fuer-die-gesellschaft-en"],"acf":{"post::topline":"","post::excerpt":"A priest convicted of sexually abusing children says that, on a winter day, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is standing on his doorstep. Now, an investigation conducted by CORRECTIV and Frontal21 reveals the ties of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI with the priest. The stories shared by alleged victims who came forward during the investigation show how the Catholic Church\u2019s prosecution of sexual abuse within its own ranks is insufficient.","post::authors":false,"post::related":""},"cvui_categories":[{"id":23,"name":"Top-Stories","slug":"top-stories"}],"cvui_featured_image":{"widget-post":{"url":"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/head-desktop-970x530.jpg","width":970,"height":530},"list":{"url":"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/head-desktop.jpg","width":579,"height":386},"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/head-desktop.jpg","width":220,"height":147},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/head-desktop.jpg","width":2800,"height":1867}},"cvui_featured_image_alt":"","cvui_yoast_metadesc":null,"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ratzinger and the Pedophile Priest - correctiv.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/correctiv.org\/top-stories\/2020\/02\/26\/ratzinger-and-the-pedophile-priest\/?lang=en\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ratzinger and the Pedophile Priest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"DONATE Ratzinger and the Pedophile Priest A priest convicted of sexually abusing children says that, on a winter day, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is standing on his doorstep. 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