Report finds 196 clerics abused minors in German diocese

BERLIN (AP) — A report has found that at least 196 clerics in the German Catholic diocese of Muenster sexually abused minors between 1945 and 2020, adding to findings from other dioceses that have shaken the church in the country. The study, commissioned by the diocese in western Germany and carried out over 2½ years by a team from the University of Muenster, pointed to a “massive leadership failure” during the tenures of the diocese’s bishops between 1947 and 2008, according to a statement from the university summarizing the findings. Authors said there were at least 610 victims, but the real figure is likely eight to 10 times higher.