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	Ratzinger Unaware of Transfer: Church By Christopher Lawton National Post March 27, 2010 http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/story.html?id=2732760 Pope Benedict's former archdiocese of Munich insisted yesterday he had no knowledge of a 1980 decision to reassign a priest undergoing therapy there for suspected pedophilia to a post with access to children. Archdiocesan spokesman Bernhard Kellner dismissed as speculation a New York Times article, which suggests the fact then-cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was copied on a memo of the transfer meant he was informed of what went on. "We stand by our account that Cardinal Ratzinger didn't know about this decision," he said. "I cannot confirm he knew about this, and we don't have any evidence to that effect." The priest, Peter Hullermann, was identified this month after a newspaper reported he had been moved from Essen, northern Germany, to Munich in 1980 for therapy for suspected pedophilia, but was soon put to work with youths. Six years later he was convicted of molesting a boy at another parish. As archbishop of Munich in 1980, the Pope oversaw the decision to transfer the priest at that time to Munich for therapy, Mr. Kellner said. However, the Vatican has denied he knew of the priest's reassignment to youth work. The Pope's then-vicar general, Father Gerhard Gruber, took full responsibility this month for the decision to reinstate Hullermann, who has since been suspended from his priestly duties. "It was the decision of Gerhard Gruber, and he admitted his mistake," Mr. Kellner said. "[Pope Benedict] did not decide to make this man a spiritual counsellor." He said the Times' account was accurate, but did not contain "one single piece of new information." Copying the memo detailing the decision to the office of the archbishop was routine procedure. "An archbishop doesn't read all the administrative acts. He just can't. That's why he has a vicar general," Mr. Kellner added. "Gruber had 100% administrative control." The Munich archdiocese said on Wednesday new sexual abuse allegations had been made against Hullermann, whose case had been forwarded to the prosecutor's office. The Church said it met possible victims and Hullermann was alleged to have abused a minor in 1998 when he worked in Garching, near Munich. Meanwhile, new allegations have surfaced elsewhere in Germany. The diocese of Muenster in northern Germany said the public prosecutor was investigating a priest for sexual abuse. It had also received an anonymous allegation of abuse of a 14-year-old in 1970 by a priest who is now aged 74 and working in Sauerland, western Germany. Both priests have been relieved of their duties.
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