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The Southern Cross, July 8 to July 14, 2020
INTERNATIONAL
Schoenstatt founder charges ‘old hat’
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OCUMENTS uncovered from the recently opened archives of the pontificate of Pope Pius XII revealed allegations of sexual abuse and abuse of power against the founder of the Schoenstatt movement, Fr Joseph Kentenich. Reports of the apostolic visitation made in the early 1950s written by Dutch Jesuit Father Sebastiaan Tromp were published by German scholar Alexandra von Teuffenbach after she wrote a letter regarding her discovery to German newspaper Die Tagespost and Italian journalist Sandro Magister. Fr Juan Pablo Catoggio, superior of the Schoenstatt movement, in a statement acknowledged Fr Tromp’s visitation and the accusations against Fr Kentenich, “which led to the 14-year-long exile of the founder” to Wisconsin in the US. However, he stressed, it had been found that Fr Kentenich had committed no crime. Ms von Teuffenbach, a former professor of Church history at Rome’s Pontifical Regina Apostolorum University, said the testimonies, letters and conversations Fr Tromp had with members of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, as well as Fr Kentenich, revealed “a situation of complete subjugation of the nuns, concealed in a certain way by a sort of family structure applied to the work”. “Kentenich was the ‘father’, the founder with absolute power, often equated with God,” Ms von Teuffenbach wrote to Mr Magister. “So much so that in many expressions and prayers it is not clear whether these are addressed to God the Father or to the founder himself.”
The behaviour of the founder of Schoenstatt, she added, is “a striking example of what Pope Francis probably means when he speaks of clericalism, with the father and founder of the work who sets himself up as the proprietor of the nuns, in soul and body”. Ms von Teuffenbach also praised Fr Tromp, as well as the Roman curia under Pope Pius XII, noting that that the documents revealed an “assiduous and meticulous search for the truth” during the investigation. The Schoenstatt movement was founded in Germany in 1914 by Fr Kentenich as a way “to help renew the Church and society in the spirit of the Gospel” and is present in over 100 countries around the world, including South Africa, the movement’s website states. It includes priests, nuns and lay members. The process of beatification of Fr Kentenich was opened seven years after his death in 1968. Fr Catoggio said that the allegations against the founder "were discussed and clarified during the process of beatification opened in 1975” and that all documents regarding the allegations were “made available to the competent Church authorities”. “If doubt regarding the moral integrity of the Schoenstatt founder would have remained, his exile would not have finished and the Vatican would have not published a nihil obstat [no objection] to open his process of beatification,” he said. Fr Eduardo Aguirre, postulator of the cause of canonisation, told Zenit Español that “even though these accusations are about information known for well over half a century,
Fr Joseph Kentenich, founder of the Schoenstatt movement. (Photo: KNA/CNS) today they are presented as if they were new, and as if because of this they have the strength to question the moral reputation of the father and founder of the Schoenstatt Movement”. He said the allegations had not been made public because the “processes of beatification and canonisation must be carried out under secrecy”. “No formal accusation was made of alleged crimes against Fr Kentenich. Therefore, the Holy Office did not carry out any trial against him and there was no sentence or punishment,” Fr Aguirre said. Ms von Teuffenbach said that her intention in making the details of the visitation known was not meant to “hurt Schoenstatt, because they do many good things”. “I hope that this does not do damage for Schoenstatt, but rather is a path so that Schoenstatt can have a new beginning, not by venerating a person of this kind, but by doing positive things,” she said. Nevertheless, Ms von Teuffenbach said, the revelation of allegations against Fr Kentenich should mean that “it is not possible to beatify a person who, more than just sexual abuse, committed abuse of power”.— CNS
A Palestinian demonstrator returns a teargas canister during a protest near the Jewish settlement of Beit El on July 1, 2020. The demonstrators were protesting against Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. (Photo: Mohamad Torokman, Reuters)
Vatican’s top diplomat meets with Israeli ambassadors BY CAROL GLATZ
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ARDINAL Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, met with the US and Israeli ambassadors to the Vatican to express concern that “possible unilateral actions” on their part would further jeopardise peace in the region. “The Holy See reiterates that the state of Israel and the state of Palestine have the right to exist and to live in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders,” said a statement from the Vatican press office. “It thus appeals to the parties to do everything possible to reopen the process of direct negotiation, on the basis of the relevant Resolutions of the UN, and aided by measures that can reestablish reciprocal confidence,” the statement said. Though the Vatican did not specify which “unilateral actions” caused its concern, the Vatican recognises the sovereignty of both the state of Israel and the state of Palestine and
their rights to exist in peace and security. Israel has said it plans to unilaterally annex parts of the West Bank, which is part of Palestinian territory, as part of a peace plan put forward by the US administration. However, Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said that international law is very clear that “annexation is illegal. Period. Any annexation. Whether it is 30% of the West Bank, or 5%”. It would have “a disastrous impact on human rights” throughout the Middle East, she added. The Vatican statement quoted Pope Francis’ 2014 plea for peace, saying it hoped the two sides would have the courage to sit down together and “say yes to encounter and no to conflict; yes to dialogue and no to violence; yes to negotiations and no to hostilities; yes to respect for agreements and no to acts of provocation; yes to sincerity and no to duplicity”.—CNS
Pope Francis sends condolences to Pope Benedict for brother’s death Concert honouring JPII now online BY CAROL GLATZ
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OPE Francis has sent retired Pope Benedict XVI his prayers and condolences for the death of his younger brother, Mgr Georg Ratzinger. The monsignor, a musician and the retired pope’s elder brother, died in Regensburg, Germany, on July 1 at the age of 96. In a letter Pope Francis told his predecessor he was praying for his brother, hoping he would be rewarded in heaven for being among the “faithful servants of the Gospel”. “And I am also praying for you, Your Holiness”, asking that God and the Blessed Virgin sustain you with “Christian hope and tender divine consolation”. The two brothers attended the seminary together after World War II and were ordained to the priesthood together in 1951. Although priestly ministry took them in different directions, they continued to be close
Retired Pope Benedict XVI with his brother, Mgr Georg Ratzinger. Mgr Ratzinger, 96, died on July 1. (Photo: L’Osservatore Romano//CNS) and to spend holidays together, including at the Vatican and the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. When Mgr Ratzinger was named an honorary citizen of Castel Gandolfo in 2008, Pope Benedict told the crowd: “From the beginning of my
life, my brother was always not just a companion, but also a trustworthy guide.” Mgr Ratzinger had been hospitalised for a while, and Pope Benedict, 93, flew to Regensburg on June 18 to be with his ailing brother for a few days.—CNS
CONCERT honouring the centennial of St John Paul II’s birth is now available on-
line. The concert, featuring some of the United States and Poland’s top classical music artists, was held in June and is now online. The concert features introductory remarks from Polish Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki of Poznan, president of Poland’s bishops’ conference, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. The performances can be seen at https://jp2concert.com. The total running time is two hours and 47 minutes. The musical programme begins with pianist Szymon Nehring, in a church courtyard, playing a solo piano rendition of “Etude in C# Minor, No. 25, Op. 9”, written by one of Poland’s musical treasures, Fredric Chopin. The programme, a combination
of sacred and classical music, includes Metropolitan Opera soloist Angel Joy Blue’s rendition of Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria”, two other Metropolitan Opera soloists, MaryAnn McCormick and Lisette Oropesa, performing Mozart’s “Panis Angelicus” and “Laudate Dominum”, Metropolitan Operafeatured performer Latonia Moore singing the “Ave Maria” from Verdi’s opera Otello, and Brandie Sutton’s performance of the “Lamb of God” to the accompaniment of David Sneed, who has performed with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Wynton Marsalis, Jessye Norman, Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross. The concert also features the world premiere of the arias from the opera Hiob by Krzesimir Debski, which was based on a play by Karol Wojtyla, who later became Pope John Paul II.—CNS
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