By Roger Boyes
The Times
March 17, 2010
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7065824.ece
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| Georg Ratzinger has admitted hearing of cases of ill-treatment during his time as director of the Regensburg choir Photo by Alberto Pellaschiar/AP |
The Vienna Boys' Choir, whose altos and trebles were once deployed by the likes of Mozart and Bruckner, has been caught up in the wave of paedophile scandals sweeping Germany and Austria.
Since Friday last week eight former choristers, now aged between 40 and 70, have come forward to denounce their teachers.
About 300 claims of sexual abuse have been made by former pupils of German church schools – and in elite non-denominational boarding schools – over the few past weeks.
Chancellor Merkel called today for “truth and clarity” in investigating paedophile abuse not only in the church institutions but everywhere within the educational system.
“We all agree that sexual abuse against children is a despicable crime,” she told parliament.
The Government is considering extending the statue of limitation on sexual abuse. At present, an offender cannot be prosecuted more than ten years after his victim reaches the age of 18.
Yet many of the cases now coming into the open were committed in the 1950s and early 1960s and many of the priests involved are dead or in old people's homes.
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, the Justice Minister, offended church leaders by accusing the Vatican of covering up scandals and urged German bishops to co-operate with state prosecutors. But the Church feels that this could erode its independence from the state.
The Vienna Boys' Choir has no formal relationship with the Church and is therefore less politically sensitive. It is, however, the best-known choir in the world, performing 300 concerts a year and making millions of euros out of Christmas records.
“No one can undo injustice,” a spokeswoman for the choir said. “At the moment listening is the most important thing we can do.” An open letter from the choir management to parents expressed “deep regret” at the incidents.
A parallel sexual abuse scandal has hit the Regensburger Domspatzen, the so-called Cathedral Sparrows, which was run until 1994 by Georg Ratzinger, brother of the present Pope, Benedict XVI.
Although Father Ratzinger has denied all knowledge of paedophile sex, he has admitted hearing of cases of physical ill-treatment during his early years as choir director.
The scandals have opened up a number of questions about church behaviour.
The central issue is: why were offending or suspect priests simply transferred – and often allowed to resume parish duties involving children.
Some German church sources believe this will be addressed in a papal letter to Irish bishops this week.
“We need to clarify the boundary between the solidarity and forgiveness that we offer to sinning but repentant fellow priests, and the overriding need not to betray our responsibility towards the children and young people in our charge,” a senior cleric said.
Pope Benedict said that he hoped his letter would “help repentance, healing and renewal” – meaning that it was addressed both to the offending priest and to the victim.
Chancellor Merkel avoided direct confrontation with the Church but her speech today indicated that the state might have to step in to protect minors if the church fails to do so.
“We will have to talk about changing the statute of limitations and we will also have to talk about compensation,” she said.
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