Multiple news services today are
addressing a report commissioned by the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, Germany, revealing that over a period of seventy-four years, between 1945 – 2019, 173 priests of the Archdiocese were credibly accused as having assaulted minors. The report does not indicate the total number of priests who served in the Archdiocese during the seventy-four years in question but, as there currently are more than one thousand priests serving in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, I would presume it would be several thousand. The report in question also notes that Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI is reported as having failed to act in four cases of allegations of abuse of minors while serving as Archbishop from 1977 - 1982.
As always, I must begin my personal comment with a sincere apology to anyone who has been harmed by a priest, minister, or teacher in the Catholic Church. I also commend the efforts of transparency which the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising appear to have exercised in commissioning and releasing this report. While I am always disappointed by failures on the part of Church leadership, I believe it is important to note that the Church’s understanding of sexual abuse, along with its protocols, was developing at a very fast pace during the late 1970s and early 1980s. For this reason many bishops during this era made deeply regrettable errors of one kind or another. While it does not decrease the pain caused to innocent victims in any way, and it is not an excuse, it is perhaps worth noting that the Church’s response, in most instances, mirrored that of individuals and secular institutions of the era. All made mistakes and critical errors in judgment, a history we all must own as we strive to help heal those wounded by the crime of sexual abuse as well as creating safe environments in which to worship, learn, and grow.
While the facts of past failings are important to acknowledge, so too is it important to acknowledge that in more recent years the Catholic Church has been exemplary in responding to allegations of sexual misconduct and creating an environment that is exceptionally safe for children and vulnerable persons. The Munich report itself is one such example. We remain committed to this critically important endeavor and pray for the healing of all who have been harmed.