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Church in the WorldPriest guilty of abuse re-arrestedGermany Christ Pongratz-Lippitt - 22 September 2007A priest found guilty of sexually abusing two altar boys in the diocese of Regensburg has been re-arrested after serving his sentence, on suspicion of abusing another boy, writes Christa Pongratz-Lippitt. He has been suspended by his diocese, and his bishop has denied ignoring the guidelines of the German bishops' conference, which say that priests who have served prison terms for abusing minors should not work with young people again. Catholics in the parish of Riekofen in the diocese of Regensburg were deeply disturbed by the arrest late last month of their priest for allegedly abusing an altar boy between 2003 and 2006. They had not been told that the man, who has not been named, had been handed a one-year suspended sentence in 2000 for abusing two other boys while serving as priest of the neighbouring parish of Viechtach. The boys' parents agreed to accept 5000DM (£1,700) from the diocese rather than sue the priest, in order to spare their sons the ordeal of giving evidence in court. In return the diocese insisted that the curate could one day be reinstalled. Last month the diocesan authorities defended their decision in 2003 to reinstall him, saying they had been assured by his psychiatrist that he had been "healed" after undergoing therapy. The Bishop of Regensburg, Gerhard Müller, said that the priest had denied the abuse 12 times and therefore had a "disturbed view of the truth". But he argued that each diocese had to shoulder the responsibility for such cases itself. In Britain guidelines on child protection stipulate that a priest convicted of child abuse should not be given any job that would put him into contact with children. |
 In this week’s issueMaking markets moral Iron and velvet Love in a Catholic climate Someone to talk to A good Lent takes planning South American surprise Can the Church support abuse victims on its own terms? Elena Curti Is the Church too slow in recognising that academies are the future for Catholic schools? Christopher Lamb Goodwin the scapegoat Elena Curti The pain of being a coeliac Catholic Sr M, guest contributor The Church's moral obligation to victims of clerical sexual abuse Speeches from this week's conference in Rome This week in Rome bishops and religious superiors met at the first Vatican-backed symposium devoted to forging a global response to the crisis of clerical sexual abuse that has disgraced ... Archbishop voices 'shame and sorrow' after priest's abuse trial Longley to visit parishes 'damaged' by Walsh Today, Tuesday 7 February, Bede Walsh, who served as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, has been convicted by a jury, following a 10-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent ...
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