If an abuse report for the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising even incriminates a cardinal and an emeritus pope, how might it be for those they have or had to take care of as the supreme and supreme shepherds? And what pastoral care do the pastors offer to churchgoers in the Sunday masses a few days after the publication? Two – randomly selected – snapshots from Munich parish churches from the weekend suggest deep irritation even among the clergy: A pastor avoids the topic – another puts it at the center of an emotional sermon that is empathetic to the victims of abuse, the focus is on the cohesion of the church moves, but also calls for consequences.
Saturday evening, 6 p.m., Sankt Joseph parish church on Josephsplatz in Maxvorstadt. The lights on the huge Christmas tree to the right of the altar are burning brightly, around 40 believers gather for the evening service with Curate Stephan Ostrowitzki. Reading from Paul’s first letter to the Christian community in Corinth – and because there is also talk of the community’s “inner strife”, one could have linked it up later in the sermon in a fairly topical manner.
Kurat Ostrowitzki prefers to set more cautious signals: after another reading from the Gospel of Luke, his sermon contains general comparative considerations between the Old and New Testaments, as well as the indication that “us Christians” without the Jewish faith “at all didn’t exist”, which is why anti-Semitism is also completely unthinkable for Christians. No word on the current abuse report. The prayers of intercession also remain general, they are dedicated to state leaders, sinners and those who do good.
After the mass, Ostrowitzki became clearer when asked: “The church is at a point where it has to get down to business; otherwise you can give it all away.” With the report, the church is going “an honest path,” he says, and people are just “abysmal.” In the church “everything occurs that occurs in normal life”. An elderly churchgoer who doesn’t want her name to appear in the newspaper and who used to teach religion added: “I don’t understand the years of cover-up.” It was also difficult for laypeople to dare to say anything against priests – although there has always been a lot of talk about abuse.
“Yes, perpetrators can also be among us”
Sunday, 9.30 a.m., Heilig Kreuz parish church in Obergiesing. Two mighty Christmas trees surround the main altar – but no lights are on. This fits like a signal of humility to the sermon of Monsignor Engelbert Dirnberger, head of the Obergiesing parish association. In his sermon, Dirnberger directly focuses on the publication of the abuse study, a “depressing topic.” He speaks to his congregation for a few minutes, “even if the official statement from the diocese leadership will not be made until next Thursday.”
Dirnberger says that some could no longer hear that topic, but others expected a word from their pastor, and there are “those who are deeply ashamed – I’m one of them”. In addition, it cannot be ruled out “that there are also people among us who are themselves victims of abuse” and “yes, perpetrators can also be among us”. He therefore wanted to report how he was doing with it and first look at the victims who had been “robbed of their future”. “The weakest were ruthlessly exploited. Trust was broken and lives destroyed.” This suffering must be recognized, also financially.
Everyone should look and be on the side of those affected, then the view would be clearer on the perpetrators – and on the church as a whole. “We need the greatest possible security that perpetrators will no longer find shelter in the church, that they cannot count on the shame of those affected or the consideration of colleagues and superiors to protect them,” Dirnberger preaches. And gets even more specific. “Now it’s a matter of coming to terms with it and ensuring that those responsible at the church’s management levels take responsibility and take action in the event of misconduct.”
That shakes and tugs enormously on the church and probably also on the faith of many. “The transfer of high and highest offices in the church does not free from human weakness and imperfection – even bishops and popes can fail.” But what doesn’t go together and “slaps everyone affected in the face” is “on the one hand wearing the humble robe of penitence and on the other hand fundamentally rejecting every reform proposal. Unfortunately, we are still in the very early stages of remedying the institutional causes of the abuse.” He also wonders why people stay in the church, but he relies on the solidarity that Paul invoked in his letter to the Corinthians. This is the only way to work forward for a better future.
In Heilig Kreuz there are exactly three intercessions in the mass this Sunday: for the victims of sexual abuse, for those responsible in the church and for all those who have caused other people suffering.
On the occasion of the publication of the abuse report, the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising created a new contact and advice center for those affected by sexual abuse in the archdiocese. In the first two weeks of January 20, she can be reached Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on telephone number 089/2137-77000. The ordinariate wants to provide information on how to be reached afterwards on the Internet at www.erzbistum-muenchen.de/anlaufstelle .