Priest Continues in Key Position in Vatican Despite Allegations of Sexual Assault
Another Catholic cleric has been kept on the job, this time in a key Vatican department, despite being accused of sexually violating a woman in the confessional. The allegations, reported months ago, describe an outrage that should have resulted in immediate action, starting with the priest’s suspension.
At a Nov. 27 event in Rome focused on giving voice to women survivors of clergy sexual abuse, Fr. Hermann Geissler was publicly accused of sexually assaulting a woman during confession in 2009. "He tried to keep me back and kiss me, but I fled from the confessional," Doris Wagner, the alleged victim, recalled.
Despite these very serious allegations, as of January 18 Fr. Geissler was still listed by the Vatican “as head of the doctrinal section of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).”
The CDF is where bishops across the world send the abuse reports they receive. Malta Archbishop Charles Scicluna, who will play a key role in the upcoming Feb. abuse summit at the Vatican, is the adjunct secretary for the CDF.
The safety of vulnerable parishioners is at stake here, as is the credibility of next month’s Vatican abuse meeting. How on earth can anyone have faith in that event when top Catholic officials refuse to act swiftly in such an egregious case?
Fr. Geissler should have been suspended back in November. The Vatican can correct this outrageous oversight by taking action now to remove the priest from ministry, as well as by investigating why this was not done earlier. Those looking into these allegations should also publicly and aggressively solicit information from others who may have information relevant to their inquiry.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director