After the allegations of cover-up against Cardinal Woelki, further cases of sexual abuse are now coming to light. In order to protect the church from a scandal, the former Bishop of Trier, Bernhard Stein, is said to have kept silent. According to the report, he abandoned the victims.
According to an interim report on sexual abuse in the Diocese of Trier, the former Bishop Bernhard Stein covered up several cases of sexual abuse during his tenure. Although not all documents have been evaluated, the number of known cases is already higher than during the tenures of other Trier bishops, said the independent review commission in the Rhineland-Palatinate city.
According to this, a total of 305 people were affected by sexual abuse during Stein’s tenure between 1967 and 1981. In the case of 17 of the 81 accused, the files showed that those responsible for the diocese at the time were aware of the relevant cases. The Commission assumes that the number will continue to rise.
Stein, a cover-up can only be proven in a few cases. He had complied with the obligation to investigate reported cases. These were discussed internally. However, the diocese avoided working with the public prosecutor’s office to prevent a scandal. He did not prescribe retreats in all cases known to him. Only two repeat offenders were excluded from the priesthood. Stein never spoke to those affected.
The Commission criticized that he was part of the system at the time. There had been no effort on his part to change course when dealing with the cases of abuse. The accusation of “moral and systemic joint responsibility” also affects him. Perpetrators and deeds were not offered a substantial stop. Stein died in 1993 at the age of 88.
Stein’s handling of abuse cases is not an isolated case, but joins the wave of cover-ups of abuse cases in the Catholic Church. Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki has also been criticized for a long time for his handling of cases of abuse in the archdiocese. Pope Francis had asked him to submit a resignation, which Woelki did. However, the Pope has not yet decided whether to accept the request.
