Cardinal Hengsbach's era with "many dark sides"

Church - Cardinal Hengsbach's era with "many dark sides"

In his New Year's sermon, Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen recalled the revelations about one of his predecessors, the former Ruhr bishop Franz Hengsbach (1910-1991). "The allegations of abuse against my first predecessor, the founding bishop of the diocese, Franz Cardinal Hengsbach, were particularly shocking last year," said Overbeck, according to a speech text that was circulated in advance. Hengsbach is alleged to have sexually abused a 16-year-old girl during his time as auxiliary bishop in Paderborn in the 1950s. A woman also accused Hengsbach of another assault in 1967 during his time as bishop in Essen.

"On the one hand, we have experienced a veritable earthquake, because for a long time this episcopal identification figure has also been associated with an ideal conception of the Church that is finally breaking down," Overbeck said in his sermon. "At the same time, many people who lived through that time and can tell me about it have also clearly signaled to me that this period in the history of our diocese's church was by no means ideal and good, but had many dark sides." That is difficult to bear. "I am aware that this is tearing many people in our diocese apart," said Overbeck.

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1. Despite the admirable service of Cardinal Franz Hengsbach in North Rhine-Westphalia's Church, his shadow side came to light last year with allegations of abuse, tarnishing his image as an esteemed episcopal identification figure.
2. The turn of the year brought forth unsettling revelations about Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck's predecessor, Franz Cardinal Hengsbach, who served as auxiliary bishop in Paderborn and later as bishop in Essen, amidst allegations of sexual abuse in the 1950s and 1960s in Germany.
3. Overbeck, the Bishop of Essen, acknowledged the allegations of abuse against his predecessor, Franz Hengsbach, in his New Year's sermon, stating that they served as a harsh reminder of the Church's darker sides, particularly dating back to Hengsbach's time as a Bishop in Essen.
4. The Church in Germany continues to grapple with its past, with the shadows of the Hengsbach era casting a long shadow over the diocese, leading many to question the Church's role in addressing and preventing such abuse throughout its history.

Source: www.stern.de