A parish vicar from Lower Bavaria was sentenced to a fine on Friday because of a slush fund for donations. The district court in Freyung found the man guilty of infidelity and sentenced him to a fine totaling 13,200 euros, said a court spokeswoman. These are 120 daily rates. This would mean the vicar has a criminal record. However, the judgment is not yet final.
According to the spokeswoman, the court saw it as proven that the vicar did nothing to prevent the running of a slush fund in his parish association from at least 2016 to 2018. This was filled, among other things, from collections from funerals and weddings. According to the indictment, this is said to have been used, among other things, to pay for small expenses for the parish office or gifts for anniversaries – which violated the guidelines of the Diocese of Passau.
According to the spokeswoman, the court estimated the damage caused at 26,000 euros and ordered that the vicar must repay this amount. The court judged in favor of the defendant that he believed he had acted in the interest of the church – and he admitted the allegations in court.