A priest from the diocese of Limburg is said to have molested two women – according to the allegations that the diocese itself confirmed. According to a media report, this did not prevent Bishop Bätzing, the chairman of the bishops’ conference, from promoting him.
According to a report, the chairman of the Catholic German Bishops’ Conference and Bishop of Limburg Georg Bätzing promoted a priest to a management position in his diocese despite allegations of harassment. Bätzing appointed the man he himself had admonished for molesting two women as district dean, reported the supplement “Christ
Bätzing expressed a “formal reproach”.
According to the report, the priest is said to have verbally and physically sexually harassed a Protestant pastor in training in 2000. The woman described this to the medium, and the diocese considered the allegations to be credible. The same pastor is said to have molested a Catholic parish clerk in training between 2006 and 2007. She also has her case “Christ
Bätzing listened to both women and gave the pastor “a formal rebuke,” the Limburg press office said, according to the newspaper. “This censure is a warning and not a criminal measure,” the diocese said. The clergyman was nevertheless appointed one of eleven district deans. This means that the pastor is the regional representative of the bishop.
Affected pastor criticizes promotion
The Limburg press office Bätzings have justified the appointment of the accused, it said. “Also because it was not a matter of criminal behavior, the pastor had insight and remorse and he had apologized to the parish officer for his behavior, the bishop then appointed him district dean,” she was quoted as saying.
The Protestant pastor concerned had criticized the promotion. In an email to Bätzing that “Christ
