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The Church and the Scandal of Sexual Abuse

An extraordinary letter by Benedict XVI

“What is evil and destroys man has become a matter of course.”

On April 10, 2019, a Catholic Bavarian monthly as a light among peoples and as a force in service
in Germany published a 6 000 word essay by Pope against the powers of destruction.
Emeritus Benedict XVI, entitled “The Church and the Since I myself had served in a position of re-
sexual abuse scandal”. The essay was translated sponsibility as shepherd of the Church at the time
and published worldwide. It was written prior to the of the public outbreak of the crisis, and during the
Summit on the Protection of Minors, held at the Vati- run-up to it, I had to ask myself — even though, as
can from February 21 to 24, which was attended by emeritus, I am no longer directly responsible —
presidents of the episcopal conferences of the world what I could contribute to a new beginning.
(see the March-April issue of MICHAEL, The Passion
of the Church). Pope Francis endorsed the publica- Thus, after the meeting of the presidents of the
tion of Pope Benedict’s essay. bishops’ conferences was announced, I compiled
In the essay, Benedict XVI describes the causes some notes by which I might contribute one or two
of the present crisis — the sexual revolution of the remarks to assist in this difficult hour.
60’s, but primarily indicts the denial of God by our Having contacted the Secretary of State, Cardin-
societies that removes any notion of good or evil: al [Pietro] Parolin and the Holy Father [Pope Francis]
“Western society is a society in which God is absent himself, it seemed appropriate to publish this text
in the public sphere and has nothing left to offer it… in the Klerusblatt [a monthly periodical for clergy in
What is evil and destroys man has become a matter mostly Bavarian dioceses].
of course”. My work is divided into three parts.
Since Benedict retired from the papacy for a life In the first part, I aim to present briefly the wider
of prayer in 2013, he has avoided commenting on social context of the question, without which the
current matters affecting the Church. Since he has problem cannot be understood. I try to show that in
felt a duty to break this silence, we can presume it is the 1960s an egregious event occurred, on a scale
for the sake of the Church and to help Pope Francis in unprecedented in history. It could be said that in the
his efforts to purify Her. We have quoted extensively 20 years from 1960 to 1980, the previously norma-
from Anian Christoph Wimmer’s translation of Ben-
edict’s letter. 1 tive standards regarding sexuality collapsed entire-
by Benedict XVI ly, and a new normalcy arose that has by now been
the subject of laborious attempts at disruption.
On February 21 to 24, at the invitation of Pope In the second part, I aim to point out the effects
Francis, the presidents of the world’s bishops’ con- of this situation on the formation of priests and on
ferences gathered at the Vatican to discuss the cur- the lives of priests.
rent crisis of the faith and of the Church; a crisis
experienced throughout the world after shocking Finally, in the third part, I would like to develop
revelations of clerical abuse perpetrated against some perspectives for a proper response on the
minors. part of the Church. Part I
The extent and gravity of the reported incidents
has deeply distressed priests as well as laity, and The 1968 Revolution and the
has caused more than a few to call into question Collapse of Catholic Moral Theology
the very Faith of the Church. It was necessary to (1) The matter begins with the state-prescribed
send out a strong message, and seek out a new be- and supported introduction of children and youths into
ginning, so to make the Church again truly credible the nature of sexuality. In Germany, the then-Minister
of Health, Ms. (Käte) Strobel, had a film made in which
1 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-of-bene- everything that had previously not been allowed to
dict-xvi-the-church-and-the-scandal-of-sexual-abuse-59639 be shown publicly, including sexual intercourse, was
Left: On April 15, 2019, Pope Francis visited the now shown for the purpose of education. What at first
Monastery of Mater Ecclesiae to extend birthday was only intended for the sexual education of young
wishes to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Benedict people consequently was widely accepted as a feas-
ible option. (…)
turned 92 the next day. © Vatican Media u

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