Leading Official of Congregation For Doctrine of Faith "Tried" To Kiss Consecrated Woman During Confession
Austrian Father Hermann Geissler, a longtime official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, professed during a 2009 confession his love for the consecrated virgin Doris Wagner and "tried" to kiss her but Wagner successfully escaped.
In the old days, priests were forbidden to hear confessions of women outside a confessional.
A revengeful Wagner has been publicizing the case for years and indirectly disclosed Geissler's identity. At the time, both, Geissler and Wagner were members of the neoconservative community Familia Spiritualis Opus FSO, known as "Das Werk". Wagner left the group in 2010.
Geissler has been the capo ufficio of the Congregation’s doctrinal section since 2009.
According to Canon Law §1387, a priest who during a confession solicits a penitent to sin against the sixth commandment is to be punished by suspension, prohibitions, or privations; in graver cases he is to be dismissed from the clerical state.
In 2014, Wagner reported the alleged misconduct to Geissler's Congregation receiving the response that Geissler had admitted the incident, had asked for pardon and was "admonished”.
In the meantime Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told NcrOnline.org (January 21) that Geissler is under investigation by the Congregation which reserves the right to take "appropriate initiatives”.
Now that the case is public, Geissler will soon find out that the "Church of mercy" will not pardon his misdeeds.
Picture: Hermann Geissler, © Raphael, kathpedia.com, CC BY-NC-SA, #newsJnhwrlklho
In the old days, priests were forbidden to hear confessions of women outside a confessional.
A revengeful Wagner has been publicizing the case for years and indirectly disclosed Geissler's identity. At the time, both, Geissler and Wagner were members of the neoconservative community Familia Spiritualis Opus FSO, known as "Das Werk". Wagner left the group in 2010.
Geissler has been the capo ufficio of the Congregation’s doctrinal section since 2009.
According to Canon Law §1387, a priest who during a confession solicits a penitent to sin against the sixth commandment is to be punished by suspension, prohibitions, or privations; in graver cases he is to be dismissed from the clerical state.
In 2014, Wagner reported the alleged misconduct to Geissler's Congregation receiving the response that Geissler had admitted the incident, had asked for pardon and was "admonished”.
In the meantime Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told NcrOnline.org (January 21) that Geissler is under investigation by the Congregation which reserves the right to take "appropriate initiatives”.
Now that the case is public, Geissler will soon find out that the "Church of mercy" will not pardon his misdeeds.
Picture: Hermann Geissler, © Raphael, kathpedia.com, CC BY-NC-SA, #newsJnhwrlklho