Sex scandal draws intense interest in Austria

[seemslikeadream]

It started early in the week when the Austrian weekly news magazine Profil published photographs of the rector and deputy rector of the seminary, the main training school for priests in this area of Austria, just west of Vienna, in which they appeared to be kissing and fondling seminary students. The publication of the photographs came some months after thousands of images, apparently downloaded from child pornography Web sites, appeared on seminary computers, prompting a police investigation.

The disclosures took on added importance because the person in charge of the St. Pölten Seminary is Bishop Kurt Krenn, for decades a prominent and outspoken conservative. Venerated by members of Austria's small ultraconservative Catholic groups he is reviled by many liberals, who have long seen him as a major obstacle to reform.

A Vienna prosecutor was expected to announce early next week the results of a police investigation into the child pornography allegations, and whether formal charges will be filed. Meanwhile, on Friday, Austrian radio reported that the prosecutor, Walter Nemec, had found child pornography on computers at several different locations in the seminary, a suggestion that viewing such images, which is illegal in Austria, was widespread.

Krenn was unavailable for comment but his spokesman, Micheal Dinhobl, defended the comments the bishop had made in the case. While the photographs published in Profil suggest serious impropriety, he said, they were not conclusive evidence and should not be used to destroy the reputations of the people pictured in them. Krenn, he added, has been trying to protect the two seminary leaders from, as he put it, "being destroyed in the press without a real investigation."

more
http://www.iht.com/articles/529922.html

Pope to probe porn scandal
Vienna - Pope John Paul II will personally examine a sex and pornography scandal engulfing the Austrian Catholic church, said the mass-circulation Kronen Zeitung on Sunday.

The newspaper said Vatican officials would submit documents concerning the scandal to the pontiff following his return from holidays in the Aosta Valley and resumption of duties on Monday.

The scandal revolves around some 40 000 pornographic photos and a number of films discovered on computers at a seminary in St. Poelten, west of Vienna.

Seminary bishop Kurt Krenn has incensed critics with his dismissal of some of the material as "childish pranks at a Christmas celebration" and his steadfast refusal to resign.

The head and deputy head of the seminary have already quit, but 68-year-old Krenn says he will only go if told to by the Pope.

more
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1559440,00.html

Pope 'to run' church sex probe
From Daniel Aronssohn in Vienna
July 19, 2004

But now the affair has taken a more serious turn with allegations that activities at the seminary went further than canoodling among adolescent seminarians and the staff.

"Photographs of child pornography have been found in several computers belonging to several people" at the seminary, said the prosecutor of St Poelten, Walter Nemec, adding that he had received "new complaints about sexual aggression against minors".

He said he would give more details about the investigation within the next 24 hours.

Prosecutors have been investigating alleged child abuse at the seminary for several months, but the issue came to a head when Profil published the photographs, and alleged that police had found up to 40,000 pornographic photographs,


including scenes of sex with children and animals.


more
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,1017930...

[lil-petunia]

1. anyone thinking that this is a rare occurance,

well, check out world news from all continents.

No surprises here, except, that finally, the Vatican is purportedly responding to these charges. Perhaps, the importance of a ultra-conservative being in charge may have dented the screens raised by the starship Vatican.

all one can say, is 'bout time, dudes.

[seemslikeadream]

2. Bishop defiant over sex scandal

Bishop defiant over sex scandal
The director of the seminary, Ulrich Kuechl, has already resigned, as has his deputy Wolfgang Rothe.

The Austrian Church has not forgotten a previous sex scandal, when Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer was replaced in 1995 amid allegations that he had molested young boys.

The director of the seminary, Ulrich Kuechl, has already resigned, as has his deputy Wolfgang Rothe.

The Austrian Church has not forgotten a previous sex scandal, when Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer was replaced in 1995 amid allegations that he had molested young boys.
more
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3897449.stm

Austrian bishop derides orgy claims

Ian Traynor
Tuesday July 13, 2004
The Guardian
Bishop Krenn became the principal target of the campaign. But he is believed to have powerful allies among conservatives in the Vatican and the Pope demonstrated his support by visiting the diocese in 1998.
Rome's long silence in the face of the lies, hypocrisy, and scandals is a severe test for the faithful," he said.
more
http://www.guardian.co.uk/austria/article/0,2763,1259694,00.html

[Minstrel Boy]

3. Some things are too terrible to be true,

and yet are.

Anyone remember last year's headline "Alleged Pedophiles Helm Blair's War Room"? (http://www.counterpunch.org/james01292003.html) That story was quickly quashed on "national security" grounds.

Or the headline from 1989: "Homosexual Prostitution Inquiry Ensares VIPS with Reagan, Bush - Call boys took midnight tour of White House"? (http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2003/02/1570946.php) That story was so beyond belief, most everyone pretends it never happened.

Or the recent spate of international cases of murderous pedophile rings, catering to their nation's elites, and in turn protected by them?

If you don't remember, learn about them here. It's depressing as hell, because it is hell. But if we don't know the nature of the enemy, and admit that they really are this evil, then we'll never defeat them.

Pedophile Politicians Scandal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1839142

Connection between child trafficking in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=642840

Videos exist of satanic ritual abuse committed by US military and mercs.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1591681

Paedophilic Repugs, rape, whoring, attempted murder and the BFEE
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=790775

Conspiracy of Silence...MUST SEE!!!!!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=392459

George Bush, Pedophiles & The CIA (Bush's UN Speech)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=403198

[seemslikeadream]

4. Thanks so much Minstrel Boy

for the reminder and here is two more from bob.

From 1997-evidence of the systemic nature of US torture and abuse
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2011450

Children face sex risk at US schools (Guardian)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=693702

[emad]

9. "Alleged Pedophiles Helm Blair's War Room"? :

Interesting use of the word "Helm"

don't suppose for one minute anny connection to Richard McGarrach Helms?

or is that just too obvious.....

[shrike]

10. It's depressing to realize just how often this happens

I just finished reading "A Bright Shining Lie" by Neil Sheehan. It is the true story of John Paul Vann, super-soldier who was killed in Vietnam. Vann was mentored and plucked from poverty by a man named Garland Hopkins. Hopkins was a Methodist minister, a liberal activist, champion of the poor -- in short, one of us. He was also a pedophile. His favorite modus operandi was to take his "boys" on a camping trip. He would tell ghost stories around the fire and then slip into the sleeping bag of the boy who was most frightened, to "comfort" him.

Eventually the church could no longer ignore Hopkins' activities. He was stripped of his pastoral duties and his position in the high Methodist council (don't know the exact name for it). The various charities he worked for fired him and his wife divorced him. Still, Hopkins could not control himself and began molesting boys in the neighborhood. It was only then that the police stepped in. Facing criminal indictments and certain jail time, Hopkins killed himself with strychnine.

[Greedy Oil Puritan]

5. hahaha...

What is it with far-right Austrian Catholics and immoral behaviour anyways?

[lil-petunia]

6. adolph somebody or other.

Didn't he have some deal with Rome during WWII?

[seemslikeadream]

7. Arrest In Seminary Sex Scandal

(AP) Prosecutors on Monday charged a 27-year-old Polish candidate for the priesthood with possession and distribution of child pornography, invoking a tough new federal law in a widening investigation into a vast cache of lurid images found at a seminary.

The student, whose name was not released, had downloaded "numerous" photographs from a Web site in his native Poland, state prosecutor Walter Nemec said in a statement. If tried and convicted, he faces up to two years in prison.

Authorities say some 40,000 photos and numerous videos, including child pornography, sadomasochistic sexual acts and pictures of trainee priests kissing and fondling each other and their older instructors, were found at the seminary in St. Poelten, 50 miles west of Vienna.

The discovery, and the subsequent furor in overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Austria, triggered the country's worst church sex scandal since a cardinal was forced to resign amid allegations of pedophilia in 1995
more
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/19/world/main630516.shtml

[seemslikeadream]

8. A kick for all the Alleged Pedophiles

n/t

[SoCalDem]

11. Why this is a surprise...IS the surprise..

Any "organization" that DEMANDS of its employees, that they be celibate, and never lead a "normal" life..is only fooling itself..

Sexual desires/needs/wants/etc..can NEVER be done away with.. By forcing celibacy , they have opened themselves to the deviants.

NOT ALL ARE...AND I AM NOT SAYING THIS.. I am only pointing out that "most" young men (and even older) do NOT willingly empty their lives of all things sexual..

A man cannot deny his sex, anymore than a homosexual can "cure" his inclinations..

Churches need to start with the premise of "Love of God", and drop the antiquated restrictions.. They would get a much broader field of applicants..

[Chelsea Patriot]

12. KICK!!!!

This Evil must be brought into the Light and destroyed!

[seemslikeadream]

13. Bishop begins probe of Austria's seminary sex scandal

VIENNA : An Austrian bishop began investigating a sex scandal at a seminary outside Vienna, saying he was saddened by erotic photographs of Roman Catholic priests that have shocked the country.

"I will speak with everybody who feels that he has something to tell me, Bishop Klaus Kueng, appointed on the orders of Pope John Paul II, told reporters after arriving Wednesday at the St Poelten seminary.

Kueng said he had viewed photographs of priests and students kissing and fondling that were published last week by the Austrian weekly news magazine Profil.

"This has made me very sad. The authenticity has to be proved, as well as who did what and when," he added.
more
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/96919/1/.html

European Press Review: The Vatican Cleans House


European papers took aim at a variety of issues including the church sex scandal in Austria, the debate over longer working hours and the political dilemma facing Yasser Arafat.

The predominately Catholic Austria is reeling from a child sex and pornography scandal involving priests and their students. Pope John Paul II has named a special investigator to probe the affair. The Salzburger Nachrichten in Austria said the fact that the priests at a seminary outside Vienna enjoyed the sexual exploitation of children via the Internet awakens memories of a whole set of scandals involving the Catholic Church worldwide. It commented that thousands of pupils -- mostly boys -- have become victims of sexual abuse by priests, from Boston to Ireland and now in Austria. The Church’s usual reaction is to look away and clandestinely move the culprits to different posts. The Salzburger newspaper noted that the recent decision by the Vatican indicates the Church might be starting to move away from its usual practice in such cases
http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,7549_A_1273154_1_A,00.html?mpb=en

[seemslikeadream]

14. Student Charged as Paedophilia Probe Engulfs Church

A 27-year-old seminary student has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography as an investigation widened into Austria’s worst church sex scandal in nearly a decade.

State prosecutor Walter Nemec said the student, whose name was not released, downloaded ”numerous” lurid photos from a Web site based in his native Poland.

Authorities say up to 40,000 photos and numerous videos, including child pornography and pictures of candidates for the priesthood kissing and fondling each other and their older instructors, were found at the Roman Catholic seminary in St. Poelten, 50 miles west of Vienna.

The affair, which has outraged many people in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation, is reminiscent of a 1995 paedophilia scandal that forced then-Cardinal Hermann Groer to resign. Groer, who died last year, had been accused of molesting students at an all-male Catholic boarding school in the mid-1970s.
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3224524

Polish Student Charged in Porn Case
The Archdiocese of Vienna's ombudsman for victims of sexual abuse has urged the Vatican to remove Krenn as bishop. Two other influential Catholic lay organizations also have demanded that Krenn resign.

Earlier Monday, the seminary's former deputy director bitterly vowed to fight for "truth, justice and honor" and clear his name.

Wolfgang Rothe, who resigned along with the seminary's director, contended in a message posted on a diocese Web site that he was the victim of an "unimaginable" smear campaign.

"The confidence and encouragement of numerous people who know me have given me the strength after days of deepest despair and darkness to fight for truth, justice and honor," Rothe said.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/9189451.htm?1c

[mistertrickster]

15. Don't jump to conclusions, some liberals may have been visiting

the campus and couldn't go even a few hours without viewing . . .

Or maybe it was just the priests.