Cache of child porn found at seminary

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/07/12...n.ap/index.html

 

Cache of child porn found at seminary

Monday, July 12, 2004 Posted: 4:06 PM EDT (2006 GMT)

 

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- A vast cache of child pornography and photos of young priests having sex has been discovered at a Roman Catholic seminary, officials said Monday, leading politicians and church leaders to demand a criminal probe and the resignation of the bishop in charge.

 

Bishop Kurt Krenn, who oversees the diocese, refused to step down, however, dismissing the images as a "childish prank."

 

Leaders of the Catholic diocese of St. Poelten where the seminary is located, about 50 miles west of Vienna, spent much of the day in an emergency meeting.

 

The seminary's director, the Rev. Ulrich Kuechl, resigned along with his deputy, Wolfgang Rothe, the diocese said after the meeting. It did not elaborate.

 

As many as 40,000 photos and an undisclosed number of films, including child pornography, were found a year ago on computers at the seminary, the respected news magazine Profil reported.

 

It published several images purportedly showing young priests and their instructors kissing and fondling each other, and said others showed them engaging in orgies and sex games. The child porn came mostly from Web sites based in Poland, the magazine said.

 

Hannes Jarolim, a spokesman for the opposition Socialist Party, urged the Interior Ministry on Monday to launch a criminal investigation. Public prosecutor Walter Nemec said police were examining the material, which he said showed seminarians "in perverse situations together with their superiors."

 

The Austrian Bishops Conference issued a statement pledging a full and swift internal investigation.

 

"Anything that has to do with the practice of homosexuality or pornography has no place at a seminary for priests," it said.

 

Krenn, a conservative churchman, told Austrian television he had seen photos of seminary leaders in sexual situations with students, but he described the images as part of an elaborate prank that "had nothing to do with homosexuality."

 

His nonchalance drew swift and scathing reaction across the overwhelmingly Catholic nation.

 

"Collecting child pornography cannot be dismissed as a prank," said Thomas Huber, a Green Party politician.

 

In the mid-1990s, Austria was stung by allegations that Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer, who died last year, had molested students at an all-male Catholic boarding school two decades earlier. The affair had prompted Groer to step down.

 

A group of St. Poelten Diocese officials planned to ask the Vatican to remove Krenn as bishop, Austrian radio reported Monday. Martin Walchhofer, who supervises the alpine country's seminaries, said Krenn ultimately was responsible and "must answer before the church and before God for all of this."

 

Asked whether he intended to resign, Krenn said bluntly: "No."

 

The Vatican said it had no comment.

 

Krenn, 68, issued a statement calling the accusations groundless while conceding that he "may have made some wrong personnel decisions" at the seminary. Rothe, the former deputy seminary chief, was a legal adviser to the bishop.

[Guest Nelly's Bandaid]

Man I would of loved to here how he passed this off to the participants as a prank.

 

"We need to be more relatable to todays youth, they like things that are funny, and we all know humility is funny.....so.......MAN PILE!!!!!"

[Guest MikeSC]

This is what happens when a problem gets swept under the rug so thoroughly for so long. The Church would've been excessively wise to deal with it DECADES ago and root it out then.

 

My level of sympathy for the problems of the Church now is rather low.

-=Mike

[Highland 0]

Low sympathy is higher than what I have for them

However, 20-30 years ago, such accusations would not have been believed, much less heard in court, but at least they are facing the consequences now instead of continuing to get away with it.

[1234-5678 0]

Is anyone surprised or shocked at this crap anymore?

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Umm, at least there weren't actual naked kids in their closets. That's a plus...

[Guest MikeSC]

Low sympathy is higher than what I have for them

However, 20-30 years ago, such accusations would not have been believed, much less heard in court, but at least they are facing the consequences now instead of continuing to get away with it.

But they would have TOTALLY owned the moral high ground and the public would've been FAR more sympathetic if they did the right thing and purge the clergy of pedophile priests. It would've hurt then --- but it might KILL them financially now.

-=Mike

[Guest FrigidSoul]

This is why I don't believe in organised religion. A bunch of men who fondle the testicles of little boys are going to show me the way to heaven? Maybe if the definition of heaven wasn't utopia along side of god but was instead a sex shop on the streets of a slummy Romanian city.

 

Personal faith and prayer people. Remember, god is suppose to be all seeing so you don't need to go into a building once a week to appease the almighty.

[Guest MikeSC]

This is why I don't believe in organised religion. A bunch of men who fondle the testicles of little boys are going to show me the way to heaven? Maybe if the definition of heaven wasn't utopia along side of god but was instead a sex shop on the streets of a slummy Romanian city.

 

Personal faith and prayer people. Remember, god is suppose to be all seeing so you don't need to go into a building once a week to appease the almighty.

Frigid, not all priests do it. Do you condemn all musicians because Gary Glitter and Michael Jackson are pedophiles?

-=Mike

[Guest FrigidSoul]

That's not my sole reason for condeming organised religion though. I suppose if others are curious I can list my other reasons but I don't know if this thread is really the place to do so.

[NoCalMike 0]

That's not my sole reason for condeming organised religion though. I suppose if others are curious I can list my other reasons but I don't know if this thread is really the place to do so.

Shhhhh! You'll wake SpiderPoet

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Actually, me and SpiderPoet have had numerous discussions in threads and in the TSM chat on various religious topics(including pro-choice stuff). While I don't agree with some of his views I respect alot of them. Hopefully I've presented mine in a manner where he too can respect them.

 

Ya, that's right...the TSM chat from time to time delves into deep and meaningful conversation.

[Guest INXS]

What is it with the Catholic church and abusing boys? At priest school do they get taught that it's ok or something? Were the abusers abused as boys thus creating a circle of abuse?

 

Some independent investigating needs doing here...

[Guest BDC]

INXS, just wow. Mike made a damned good point:

 

Frigid, not all priests do it. Do you condemn all musicians because Gary Glitter and Michael Jackson are pedophiles?

 

Let's just overgeneralize that it's all catholic priests and while we're at it, that they're white too.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

I didn't know the word "bunch" shared the same meaning with "all". I must really be out of the loop.

[Guest INXS]

INXS, just wow. Mike made a damned good point:

 

Frigid, not all priests do it. Do you condemn all musicians because Gary Glitter and Michael Jackson are pedophiles?

 

Let's just overgeneralize that it's all catholic priests and while we're at it, that they're white too.

The discussion isn't about pedophiles worldwide and in other walks of life - it's about the Catholic church in this instance. Obviously, not ALL Catholic priests are at it but it does seem like a pretty big problem within that section of society.

[Guest MikeSC]

INXS, just wow.  Mike made a damned good point:

 

Frigid, not all priests do it. Do you condemn all musicians because Gary Glitter and Michael Jackson are pedophiles?

 

Let's just overgeneralize that it's all catholic priests and while we're at it, that they're white too.

The discussion isn't about pedophiles worldwide and in other walks of life - it's about the Catholic church in this instance. Obviously, not ALL Catholic priests are at it but it does seem like a pretty big problem within that section of society.

An alarming number of young black males commit crimes. Should we condemn ALL blacks because of this?

-=Mike

[NoCalMike 0]

Actually, me and SpiderPoet have had numerous discussions in threads and in the TSM chat on various religious topics(including pro-choice stuff). While I don't agree with some of his views I respect alot of them. Hopefully I've presented mine in a manner where he too can respect them.

 

Ya, that's right...the TSM chat from time to time delves into deep and meaningful conversation.

Personally, I always got a kick out of the SpiderPoet/Marney debates.

[Guest INXS]

INXS, just wow.  Mike made a damned good point:

 

Frigid, not all priests do it. Do you condemn all musicians because Gary Glitter and Michael Jackson are pedophiles?

 

Let's just overgeneralize that it's all catholic priests and while we're at it, that they're white too.

The discussion isn't about pedophiles worldwide and in other walks of life - it's about the Catholic church in this instance. Obviously, not ALL Catholic priests are at it but it does seem like a pretty big problem within that section of society.

An alarming number of young black males commit crimes. Should we condemn ALL blacks because of this?

-=Mike

Huh? I never said ALL CATHOLIC PRIESTS should be condemned nor that all are at it.

 

I said that it seems to be a big problem within that section of society. By "big" I don't mean that it's widespread but that it's regularly occuring and that it clearly is a problem.

[tommytomlin 0]

An alarming number of Islamic extremists commit terrorist attacks. Should we condemn ALL Islamic extremists because of this?

[snuffbox 0]

An alarming number of Islamic extremists commit terrorist attacks. Should we condemn ALL Islamic extremists because of this?

Like attacking Iraq?

[1234-5678 0]

An alarming number of Islamic extremists commit terrorist attacks. Should we condemn ALL Islamic extremists because of this?

If they are "extremists", YES.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Low sympathy is higher than what I have for them

However, 20-30 years ago, such accusations would not have been believed, much less heard in court, but at least they are facing the consequences now instead of continuing to get away with it.

Have sympathy for the members of the Catholic church who through no fault of their own have to watch as their Church's name is dragged through the mud by these sickening men.

[Highland 0]

If they knew about the abuses and kept silent then they are equally as culpable as the abusers themselves.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

An alarming number of Islamic extremists commit terrorist attacks. Should we condemn ALL Islamic extremists because of this?

I have an idea of what you were going for.. but you missed the mark

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

What is it with young black males and committing crimes? At home do they get taught that it's ok or something? Were the criminals victims as boys thus creating a circle of crime? Some independent investigating needs doing here.

 

What is it with Jews and working at banks? At home do they get taught that it's ok or something? Were the bankers exposed to banks as boys thus creating a circle of banking? Some independent investigating needs doing here.

 

This is fun -- everyone should try it...

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

"childish prank."

 

Choice wording, Padre.

[MrRant 0]

What is it with young black males and committing crimes? At home do they get taught that it's ok or something? Were the criminals victims as boys thus creating a circle of crime? Some independent investigating needs doing here.

 

What is it with Jews and working at banks? At home do they get taught that it's ok or something? Were the bankers exposed to banks as boys thus creating a circle of banking? Some independent investigating needs doing here.

 

This is fun -- everyone should try it...

Don't you work for an insurance company?

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

But they won't let me handle any money...

[MrRant 0]

Well... you did steal all that gold from the Egyptians.