Catholic Bishop Walter Mixa tenders his resignation
Bishop Walter Mixa chaired the board of the orphanage from 1975 to 1996 --
German Bishop Walter Mixa has resigned amid charges that he physically abused teenagers at an orphanage.
Mixa wrote to the pope after the head of German bishops' conference called on him to take a leave of absence.
Church officials said that Mixa wrote in his letter of a desire "to prevent further damage to the Church and make a new start possible" by resigning.
The scandal surrounding Mixa dates back to his time as a parish priest between 1975 and 1996, when he also oversaw the board of an orphanage.
It is apparently unrelated to recent sex abuse scandals in German Catholic institutions.
Several people who lived at the orphanage as children have come forward with allegations that Mixa beat them with his fists, a stick and a carpet beater when they were reported for misbehavior
Although most of the cases stem from so long ago that they can no longer be pursued in court.
The attorney is also investigating allegations of the misappropriation of the orphanage's funds to pay for fine wine, a tanning bed and highly-priced art.
Germany's top Catholic bishop, Freiburg's Robert Zollitsch, publicly stated on Wednesday that he and Munich Archbishop Reinhard Marx had asked Mixa to take an extended leave of absence to wait out investigations into his actions.
Zollitsch said they had discussed with Mixa whether "a period of spiritual retreat and geographical separation" would ensure "a more factual atmosphere during the investigation."
Full Report here
Bishop Walter Mixa chaired the board of the orphanage from 1975 to 1996 --
German Bishop Walter Mixa has resigned amid charges that he physically abused teenagers at an orphanage.
Mixa wrote to the pope after the head of German bishops' conference called on him to take a leave of absence.
Church officials said that Mixa wrote in his letter of a desire "to prevent further damage to the Church and make a new start possible" by resigning.
The scandal surrounding Mixa dates back to his time as a parish priest between 1975 and 1996, when he also oversaw the board of an orphanage.
It is apparently unrelated to recent sex abuse scandals in German Catholic institutions.
Several people who lived at the orphanage as children have come forward with allegations that Mixa beat them with his fists, a stick and a carpet beater when they were reported for misbehavior
Although most of the cases stem from so long ago that they can no longer be pursued in court.
The attorney is also investigating allegations of the misappropriation of the orphanage's funds to pay for fine wine, a tanning bed and highly-priced art.
Germany's top Catholic bishop, Freiburg's Robert Zollitsch, publicly stated on Wednesday that he and Munich Archbishop Reinhard Marx had asked Mixa to take an extended leave of absence to wait out investigations into his actions.
Zollitsch said they had discussed with Mixa whether "a period of spiritual retreat and geographical separation" would ensure "a more factual atmosphere during the investigation."
Full Report here
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