Bishop Stephan Ackermann A 350-page document leaked to German media documents nearly 3,700 cases of alleged sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, deacons and clergy in Germany over a 68-year period.
The release of the document caused shock in Germany, with many criticising the German bishops’ conference for its detailed knowledge of the abuse and their silence about it.
The four-year study examined cases from the post-war era in 1946 to 2014. Approximately 1,670 priests were implicated in the study, the news outlet Deutsche Welle reported. According to Welt news, more than half the victims were 13 years old or younger at the time of the abuse.
Deutsche Welle reported the Church pursued only one-third of alleged abusers, who received minimal sanctions or none, while other accused priests often were relocated to other parishes without any information about the allegations being made public.
The bishops’ conference denounced the publication of the document by the media, calling it “irresponsible”.
Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier released a statement on behalf of the conference, stating the bishops had planned to discuss the study during their autumn plenary assembly on September 25 and would continue to do so, in order to “handle…the consequences to be drawn from it”.
“This development is even more aggravating, as until now the comprehensive study was not known even to (some) members of the German bishops’ conference,” said Bishop Ackermann.
“We know the extent of the sexual abuse exposed through the results of the study,” said Bishop Ackermann. “It is depressing and shameful for us.”
All 27 dioceses in Germany participated in the research project, led by forensic psychiatrist Harald Dressing of Mannheim and conducted to achieve more “clarity and transparency” said the bishops’ conference.
Bishop Ackermann said the study provides data for the bishops to analyse to gain insights into the actions of perpetrators and the behaviour of Church officials in recent decades.
The conference said that from September 24-27, it would make phone counselling available to people upset about the media reports.