Pope to probe porn scandal

2004-07-18 22:16

Vienna - Pope John Paul II will personally examine a sex and pornography scandal engulfing the Austrian Catholic church, said the mass-circulation Kronen Zeitung on Sunday.

The newspaper said Vatican officials would submit documents concerning the scandal to the pontiff following his return from holidays in the Aosta Valley and resumption of duties on Monday.

The scandal revolves around some 40 000 pornographic photos and a number of films discovered on computers at a seminary in St. Poelten, west of Vienna.

Some of the images, which were first published last week by an Austrian news magazine, depict priests and trainee priests in compromising positions.

Seminary bishop Kurt Krenn has incensed critics with his dismissal of some of the material as "childish pranks at a Christmas celebration" and his steadfast refusal to resign.

The head and deputy head of the seminary have already quit, but 68-year-old Krenn says he will only go if told to by the Pope.

In comments at the weekend he expressed "pity" for Austrian president Heinz Fischer, who had voiced his concerns about the case, saying Fischer did not know enough about the church,

The paper quoted well informed sources as saying the Vatican could not afford to sit out the scandal, having become sensitive to such issues since "disasters" in the American Catholic church.

Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel also commented on Saturday, saying that as a practising Catholic he wanted a quick and complete clarification of the affair.

"Those concerned know exactly what must be done", he said.

- SAPA