A young Jesuit theologian has called on the wider public to force Germany’s bishops into investigating Church structures that foment clerical power and lack of transparency, elements he said are directly linked to abuse of minors.

“Please help to keep up the pressure,” Fr Wolfgang Beck said on July 23rd while making one of his frequent appearances on the widely viewed “Word for Sunday” program on German state television’s flagship channel.

The 43-year-old pastoral theologian spoke about the shame he felt after the reading the recently published Regensburg Domspatzen report, which revealed that more than 500 choir boys had been physically and sexually abused.

Fr Beck, who teaches at the Sankt Georgen Jesuit University and seminary in Frankfurt, said some commentators had described the report as a “glimpse of hell”.

“When one thinks of what the victims went through and the sluggish reaction of those responsible in the Church, I can only say once again that words fail me. As a citizen I am horrified and as a priest deeply ashamed,” he said.

The Jesuit said he fully understands why people who have had such experiences during childhood do not want to have anything more to do with the Church.

He said the fact that it took Church authorities so long to come to terms with what had happened at the choir school shows how difficult it is for those responsible in the Church to learn.

“Obviously, only what is absolutely necessary is clarified at the time,” Fr Beck noted.

“The idea that the Church, the Christian faith, and even the Bible message would be harmed if one openly discusses the problems and calls a spade a spade has become too deeply rooted in Catholic circles,” he added.

He said people in the Church too often make excuses in an attempt to mitigate the dramatic nature of the abuse. These include claims that slapping or beating children was customary everywhere at the time, or that the abuse was confined to individual cases, or that pedophilia and violence are also present in institutions that have nothing to do with the Church.

But Fr Beck argued that the sheer volume of cases of sexual abuse by priests and church employees shows quite clearly that certain structures in the Catholic Church foster the protection of perpetrators.

He said these include the obvious lack of transparency as far as decision-making procedures and assignment of offices are concerned, as well as episcopal power that is not exposed to efficient, independent control.

“A Catholic bishop is also a legislator and, by and large, not subject to control,” he said. 

The priest pointed out that there is also inhibition and mendacity in dealing with questions of sexuality.

“This whole mixture makes people think twice as to whether they want to attract attention by reporting abuse or criticizing their superiors since they can be pretty sure that it will be to their disadvantage,” he added.

Fr Beck insisted that the only way to “dry out” the above mixture was for independent authorities to investigate all church structures.

He acknowledged that a great deal has been done in recent years to prevent abuse and give financial support to victims. But he insisted that the “Domspatzen” choir school case again clearly showed that more is necessary.

“What is needed is pressure on the part of the wider public, which the Church often perceives as being disruptive,” the Jesuit said.

He later told domradio.de that most of the feedback he’s received regarding his “Word for Sunday” appearance has been positive. People have praised him for his courage to speak out.

But others have also warned him that he might have to face a strong and chilling headwind.

“I will probably have to put warm clothes on,” Fr Beck said.

However, he said church authorities would probably just remain silent and “sit things out in the hope that Wolfgang Beck will soon turn to other matters in the ‘Word for Sunday’”.