LIMBURG (GERMANY)
Il Foglio [Turin, Italy]
November 4, 2026
By Matteo Matzuzzi
Bishop Georg Bätzing did not take kindly to the words of Leo XIV on the aeroplane taking him back to Rome after his trip to France. The Pontiff, speaking about abuse, had stated the obvious, namely that “sexual abuse is first and foremost a human problem”
Rome. Monsignor Georg Bätzing, who until a few months ago was president of the German Bishops’ Conference – for which he had, over the years, acted as a sort of ‘receiver’ (evidence of this being that, following his enlightened leadership, a poll revealed that 44 per cent of Catholics in Germany would welcome a merger with the Protestant Churches) – has launched an unprecedented attack against the Pope. In a statement prominently displayed on his diocese’s website (Limburg), he described himself as “irritated” by the remarks made by Leo XIV upon his return from a trip to France regarding the crisis caused by the Church’s response to sexual abuse. The Pope “did not wish to confirm the assertion made by some victims that he had acknowledged the systemic nature of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. He said he preferred a different formulation. In his conversation with the victims in Lourdes, he stated that he had spoken of certain organisations within the Church which had at times acted abusively as a system. At the same time, he stated: ‘Sexual abuse is first and foremost a human problem’. Of course – writes Bätzing – sexual abuse is a phenomenon that extends far beyond the Catholic Church. It occurs within families, in associations, in schools and in other institutions. But precisely for this reason, we must examine precisely which specific conditions make it possible or facilitate it in the respective contexts. The question of systemic causes is not a linguistic sophism. It determines whether or not we will draw the right conclusions from the crimes of the past.”
The bishop then lists everything that has been discussed and put into practice in Germany, arguing that from the process developed there “it has become clear that it is not enough to prosecute perpetrators, provide training on prevention and improve procedural regulations. All of this is necessary, but it is not sufficient. We must also change the structures within which power is exercised, responsibility is assumed and decisions are taken. Sacred authority must not allow people to evade scrutiny. Ecclesial leadership requires binding accountability, transparent decision-making processes and effective – and, as far as possible, independent – oversight mechanisms. This is not an abstract demand. It must be reflected in our own actions’. But what had Leo XIV said? Quite simply, without giving credence to the many scoundrels brandishing nooses and handcuffs, he observed that many of the victims he met in Lourdes “spoke of systemic abuse. Personally, I prefer to express it differently, even though I have spoken of certain organisations within the Church which, at times, so to speak, as a system, have acted abusively. But I believe it is important to make this distinction. Sexual abuse is, first and foremost, a human problem. When it occurs within the Church, it actually takes on another dimension, because people’s lives of faith are deeply wounded and sometimes even destroyed”. Former President Bätzing did not take kindly to this: “I consider the assertion that sexual abuse is primarily a human problem to be insufficient and, in terms of its possible consequences, extremely problematic. Sexual abuse is a serious crime. It destroys trust, wounds people’s dignity and can leave a lasting mark on their lives. Where church leaders have covered up or remained silent about such acts, or prevented them from being investigated, they bear a grave responsibility of their own. Within the Church, there is a further dimension: the abuse of spiritual authority and religious trust can profoundly damage, or even destroy, a person’s faith. Pope Leo has explicitly addressed this particular wound and the Church’s responsibility towards those affected. I acknowledge this. Precisely for this reason, I hope he will offer an equally unequivocal acknowledgement of the systemic causes of sexualised violence. I do not wish to imply that the Pope rejects scientific knowledge on principle. But his statements leave a crucial question unanswered: does he recognise that not only individual people and organisations, but also specific structures within the Catholic Church have facilitated the abuse and its cover-up? This question is of fundamental importance. For if we do not clearly name the causes, we will not even be able to overcome them consistently.” Hence, the call to action: “The Roman Curia and the governing structures of the universal Church must also be held to account on whether power is exercised transparently, accountability is verified and oversight is effectively guaranteed. As far as the Roman Curia is concerned, I still see far too little of the radical cultural change we need.”
It must be acknowledged that “the Catholic Church has caused immeasurable suffering through sexual abuse and its decades-long cover-up, and has lost a great deal of trust. This trust cannot be regained through mere statements. What is needed is credible action, a willingness to engage in self-criticism, and consistent change to the conditions that have facilitated the abuse. If the Church were to downplay or deny the systemic causes of sexualised violence, it would be a serious setback. It would cause further harm to those affected and jeopardise the credibility of the process of coming to terms with the issue.” Precisely for this reason, writes the former president of the German Bishops’ Conference, “I consider a clarification from Pope Leo to be urgently necessary. The recognition of systemic causes is not unique to the German ecclesial debate. It is a consequence of scientific knowledge and the experiences of those who have suffered grave harm within our Church. We owe it to these people not to sugar-coat anything, not to play down anything and not to sweep any uncomfortable truths under the carpet. A Church that wishes to proclaim the Gospel credibly must be prepared to critically examine its own structures as well. It must not place its own institutional interests above human dignity. And it must accept that spiritual authority never exempts one from accountability and scrutiny.” The bishop chose the timing of his attack carefully: the Pope will be called upon to respond in a few days’ time, when questioned by the journalists travelling with him as he moves between Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. An unexpected and unsolicited ‘November surprise’.