Vatican Rebuke for Munich Archbishop Marx: Ettal Abbot and Prior Exonerated

The Vatican exonerated the earlier Abbot of Ettal and rebukes the Diocese of Munich: Abbot Barnabas has done everything, what was required by the situation. The naming of a successor is not to happen.


Berlin/Munich (kath.net/KNA) A Vatican Investigative Commission has, says the newspapers "Die Welt" and "Muenchner Merkur", (Friday)that the resigned management of the Benedictine Cloister Ettal has been exonerated of the abuse scandal. Both papers refer to a corresponding letter of the Roman Cardinal Prefect Franc Rode, who directs for the Monks the competent section in the Vatican. As the papers report, there had been an Apostolic visitation in the Cloister, that resigned order members had made no error in their handling of the Ettal sexual and physical abuse.

Neither Abbot Barnabas Bögle nor Prior Maurus Krass would have neglected a prescribed requirement to report. The Abbot did everything, "which was required by the situation". A renewed election of both ministers from their earlier offices is not required.

The Abbot and the Prior had been accused, that they had not reported to the competent Archdiocese of Muenchen-Freising in 2005 when they became aware of a new sexual abuse. According to the information the papers have the expert opinion of the Vatican is not associated with that of the view of the Archdiocese of Munich.

The letter from Rome had been delivered by Wednesday to the Cloister of Ettal, reported "Muenchner Merkur" further. Otherwise it would have been necessary to select a name Abbot by 31 July. The Monastic Congregation has appointed this directive. From the Cloister no one has wanted till now to discuss any of the new developments. There should be a press release on Friday.

The report brings a new rebuke for the ambitious Archbishop Marx at the same time in "Die Welt". There have been for a long while already critics of the administration of the Archiepiscopal Chair. So it was already made known in March, that the resignation of Barnabas and Maurus was to take place on the ground of a false accusation.

Report from Die Welt...