Pope urges reconciliation in German Church

(July 2, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI urged reconciliation within the German church leadership after meeting Bishop Walter Mixa of Augsburg, who recently resigned amid accusations of financial irregularities and hitting children. The Vatican press office released a statement after Thursday’s meeting saying that Bishop Mixa would "retreat for a period of silence, contemplation and prayer." In an unusual reference to tension within the ranks, the Pope specifically asked bishops in his native country to put aside ill feelings and help their brother in trouble. German prosecutors also investigated Bishop Mixa for alleged sexual abuse of a minor when he was bishop of Eichstatt from 1996 to 2005 but dropped the investigation in May for lack of evidence. In his meeting with Pope Benedict, Bishop Mixa asked "in all sincerity and humility" for forgiveness for his errors, and expressed hope that "the good he did not be forgotten." The Vatican said that after a period of "treatment and reconciliation," he would be available for pastoral work authorized by his successor. The Pope urged reconciliation in the spirit of the Lord's mercy, following "a period of polemics that have often been out of proportion." He has asked the German bishops to offer Bishop Mixa -- more now than in the past -- their friendship, their understanding and their help in guiding him back to the right path," the Vatican statement said.