Convicted pastor also receives punishment under church law
A former Catholic priest convicted by the Osnabrück district court for possessing more than 6,000 child pornography images has also been fined under canon law. A church court has decided that the priest must pay 10,000 euros to a youth welfare organization, the diocese of Osnabrück announced on Wednesday. In addition, the man must continue the psychotherapy he has begun and receive spiritual counseling. The priest remains exempt from all church duties.
In October 2022, the Osnabrück district court sentenced the priest to two years' probation and to pay 10,000 euros to the Child Protection Association. The court ordered the then 58-year-old priest to seek counseling from a men's counseling center and undergo psychotherapy.
The files containing images of sexual abuse of children were found on various devices belonging to the former pastor of an Osnabrück parish. The revelation of the crimes caused great consternation in the parish and beyond. The priest has no longer been in ministry since the case came to light.
Despite the priest's conviction in the secular court for child pornography, the church also initiated its own processes. The church court imposed a fine of 10,000 euros on the priest and requested him to seek guidance from religious counselors, in addition to his ongoing psychotherapy.
Source: www.dpa.com
