Würzburg (dpa / lby) – After allegations of abuse, Bishop Franz Jung of Würzburg permanently banned a priest from the diocese from working publicly as a priest or pastor. The Bishop also put the man into permanent retirement, the Diocese of Würzburg announced on Thursday. The case is about the possible sexual abuse of a “possibly still young person”.
According to the diocese, it learned of the allegations in early July 2021. Bishop Jung then prohibited the priest from serving as a priest until the allegations had been clarified and initiated a preliminary investigation under canon law. After its completion, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Catholic Church in Rome left the further decision in the case to Bishop Jung.
According to the information, the police had reported the case before the canonical procedure. However, investigations into the case have since been discontinued.
The diocese also announced on Thursday that it had released an administrative employee from work on Wednesday – because of the allegation of “sexual misconduct towards a child”. The incident is said to have happened around ten years ago, when the employee was doing volunteer work in the church. Such voluntary services are now forbidden to him. The diocese also reported the case to the public prosecutor after an initial examination.
There is no connection between the two cases, said a spokesman for the diocese on Thursday. The incidents were only made public on the same day.
