Pope consoles German priests who suffered abuse

By Mario Galgano & Salvatore Cernuzio

For 45 years, Don Mathias Wuensche has struggled with an internal dilemma: a deep vocation to serve the Church and the wound caused by the abuse he suffered within that same Church when he was still a minor, at the hands of a priest. Despite this, he pursued his calling and became a priest himself. Don Mathias shared his story with other priests and presented it to Pope Francis in a private meeting on Tuesday, June 25, at Casa Santa Marta.

Preserving Dignity

"I am a 63-year-old priest, and a priest abused me 45 years ago. I still suffer today," Don Mathias from the Diocese of Bamberg told Vatican Radio. "The Holy Father told us that this is the ugly face of the Church. I am still the same person, and today I am a priest, which is a great dilemma for me," he explained, emphasizing the Pope's great empathy: "The Holy Father was very aware, and this is a consolation." "We, as victims, have a dignity that we do not want to forget, and the Pope strongly reiterated this to us," added Don Mathias.

Invisible...

"As priests who have been abused, we are in a difficult situation in the Church. Ideally, we should be invisible because our presence is a constant reminder to every one of this problem," echoed Don Liudger Gottschlich from the Archdiocese of Paderborn, who was also a victim of abuse by a priest when he was 11 years old. Today, he is engaged in pastoral work for people who have suffered violence. In Germany, he says, many people leave the Church because of this issue.

Cycling pilgrimage from Munich to Rome

Some of these priests had already met the Pope in May of the previous year when, along with a group of about fifteen people, they participated in a bicycle pilgrimage from Munich to Rome. This pilgrimage ended with their participation in the general audience on Wednesday in St. Peter's Square. The initiative, supported by the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, aimed to demand greater commitment against sexual abuse, ensuring the Church is "a safe place" for everyone. This objective was reiterated in a letter the group delivered to the Pope at the end of the audience.

The meeting with Pope Francis, Gottschlich recounted, took place in a "special atmosphere" characterized by closeness and sincerity. "This conversation with the Pope was different... very intimate, very familial. We found it very encouraging and strengthening."

Pastoral Care for Victims

The priests reported that Pope Francis encouraged their work with individuals affected by abuse: "He strongly encouraged us to make our wounds fruitful for pastoral work and to try, as much as possible, to have a healing effect. He encouraged us greatly in this. At the same time, this meeting showed once again that we must not remain silent but keep this issue alive in the Church."

Don Mathias, Don Liudger, and the others felt compelled to appeal: "Do not be afraid to approach people who are victims of abuse. I think this is the biggest problem - that people who open up and say they have been abused trigger anxiety. How should we handle this? What should we do?" The risk is that victims will feel re-injured and even more "alone and abandoned." Instead, it is important to ask: "What do you need?"