Former head of German bishops blames abuse crisis on ‘taboo’ against gay priests

In his November 3 diocesan statement, Bätzing, one of the main proponents of the heretical German Synodal Way, denounced Pope Leo’s brief comments after his September trip to France, where he met with abuse survivors, that he wouldn’t describe the Church’s clerical abuse crisis as “systemic” but above all a “human problem.” Bätzing claimed that not only is the abuse systemic but also stems from “clericalism” and the “taboo-ridden” approach the Church takes to the sexual orientation of priests.

“The MHG study commissioned by the German bishops in 2018 made it clear that sexual abuse in the Catholic Church cannot be understood solely as the misconduct of individual perpetrators,” the bishop wrote. “There are specific ecclesiastical risk factors and structural characteristics that have facilitated abuse and made its detection more difficult.”

“These include clericalism and asymmetrical power dynamics, the sacralization of priestly authority, problematic forms of personality development and psychosexual maturation, as well as a taboo-ridden approach to sexuality and sexual orientation,” he added. “It is not the homosexual orientation of priests that constitutes a risk factor, but rather the taboo surrounding it, which can foster dependencies and a culture of silence.”

While Pope Leo’s comments on not framing the Church’s ongoing clerical abuse crisis as “systemic” may be disputed, Bätzing glaringly ignores the overwhelming evidence that the ordination of homosexual clergy is a major factor in this crisis. Indeed, later in his statement, the bishop acknowledges that the 2018 study he cited showed that a high proportion of abuse survivors are male.

“Added to this are specific constellations of closeness, trust, and authority. The specific composition of the group of victims — including a high proportion of   boys and male adolescents — points to the Church’s structural and power dynamics, which we must understand and change,” he wrote.

As reported extensively by LifeSiteNews, several prominent clerics, including Bishop Marian Eleganti, have highlighted the link between “widespread homosexuality” and priestly abuse.

“All Church studies on abuse show a disproportionately high number of male victims,” Eleganti told AdVaticanum earlier this year. “It does little good to turn a blind eye to this. There is a factual correlation, without implying that clergy with a homosexual orientation are predestined to commit abuse because of their orientation. The same applies to heterosexuals. There are also many cases of sexual abuse outside the Church, but society primarily focuses on and is scandalized by those within the clergy.”

Bätzing also appears to be ignoring the Church’s perennial teaching on homosexuality and its official practices on barring men with same-sex attraction from the priesthood.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered” and “contrary to the natural law” and that the homosexual inclination is “objectively disordered.” The Catechism is very clear that homosexual activity can never be approved and repeats that “(h)omosexual persons are called to chastity.” Homosexual acts are mortal sins; therefore, anyone who commits these sins and does not repent through the sacrament of confession is in danger of hell.

The Church also stipulates that men who practice homosexuality, “present deep-seated homosexual tendencies,” or “support the so-called ‘gay culture,'” cannot be admitted to seminary or receive holy orders.

Bätzing is known for supporting the German Synodal Way’s heretical proposals. He voted in favor of a document of the Synodal Way that calls for the “blessing” of homosexual unions. The prelate also agreed with a document called “Magisterial Reassessment of Homosexuality” that called for a change in perennial Church doctrine. He furthermore voted “yes” on a text that calls for the sacramental ordination of “female deacons.”