Bishop Gmür wants nationwide ecclesiastical court by 2024
Published: Friday, Nov 24th 2023, 12:40
Updated At: Friday, Nov 24th 2023, 12:43
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Bishop Felix Gmür announced in Basel on Friday that a cross-diocesan church criminal court for cases of abuse will be established in 2024. This was his response to the Lucerne Synod's decision to block contributions to the diocese.
If a state court reaches a verdict in cases of abuse, the ecclesiastical court should take over, for example to decide on expulsion from a religious order. This court should consist of experts who are familiar with canon law, but who do not necessarily have to belong to the Roman Catholic Church, as the Bishop of the Diocese of Basel explained to the media.
Until now, a court from one's own or another diocese has dealt with this. With a court that encompasses all dioceses in Switzerland, the pool of experts such as judges who can take on this task will be larger.
The diocese of Basel will also set up an ombudsman's office for concerns of any kind in 2024. Not only cases of abuse, but also minor discrepancies can be reported there.
Gmür said that he respected the decision of the Lucerne synod members and understood their concerns. "However, it would have been better and desirable to talk to each other first," said the bishop. He was ready for talks with a special commission appointed by the synod. This decided on 8 November not to transfer half of the contribution to the diocese - a decision on the second tranche will be made in fall 2024.
In doing so, the church parliament wanted to take action following the preliminary study on cases of abuse published in September. "We will discuss this and find a good way forward," said Gmür.
Full clarification required
The Finance Commission of the cantonal Roman Catholic bodies in the diocese of Basel (Fiko) is in favor of continuing the study. A complete clarification and compensation for the victims would be welcomed, said Fiko President Christian Griss. The Fiko acknowledges the measures already taken by the Diocese of Basel, such as the prevention courses on the subject of "Closeness and Distance". These have been held since 2004 and have been mandatory throughout the diocese since 2016.
In addition, church employees are already required to submit extracts from criminal records and special criminal records. The fact that the Lucerne Synod is threatening to withdraw financial resources is "not expedient" in the opinion of the Fiko, said Griss.
Cost-cutting measures would be necessary
The contribution of 884,000 francs from the Roman Catholic Church of Lucerne to the diocese represents a significant share. The diocesan contributions from all cantons amount to 3.8 million francs, while the total budget of the Basel diocese is 5.1 million francs, as Gmür said. If Lucerne continues to freeze payments, the result would be a "depletion of assets". This would lead to cost-cutting measures, said Griss.
The background to the differences of opinion between the Lucerne regional church and the diocese is a preliminary study on sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church, which was published in September 2023. In an analysis of secret archives, historians from the University of Zurich revealed that clerics and members of religious orders had committed 1002 cases of sexual abuse over the past 70 years.
The study was commissioned by the Swiss Bishops' Conference, which is presided over by Felix Gmür, among others.
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