Der Kummer Von Belgien

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Der Kummer Von Belgien einblicke missbrauch Der Kummer von Belgien Die Ruinen der Kathedrale im belgischen Ypes an der Westfront während des Ersten Weltkriegs. 24 vatican 8-9|2010 Der Staat der Wallonen und Flamen steckt in einer tiefen Krise. Die katho- lische Kirche aber auch. Sie geriet ins Fadenkreuz der Pädophilie-Fahnder. Und das nicht ohne Grund. Sittengemälde aus einem schwierigen Land VON FREDDY DERWAHL usgerechnet der sarkastische Bel- nicht sicher. Zwar herrscht immer noch gien-Hasser Charles Baudelaire die nur von Glockenspiel unterbrochene Aschrieb die Reisenotiz, er liebe die Beschaulichkeit, immer noch ist das acht- Stille des verträumten Mechelen: „Wenn zigtausend Einwohner zählende Meche- Mechelen nicht in Belgien läge, und nicht len eine Hochburg der Klöpplerinnen und von Flamen bewohnt wäre, dann würde Bierbrauer mit acht Kirchen und drei- ich gerne dort leben und vor allem ster- hundert denkmalgeschützten Gebäuden, ben.“ Käme der Dichter der „Blumen des doch in ihrem Zentrum, rund um die aus Bösen“ in diesem Sommer in die Stadt, dem dreizehnten Jahrhundert stammende würde er seinen Augen nicht trauen und Sint-Rombouts-Kathedrale, sind noch die hier weder leben und erst recht nicht ster- Nachbeben eines Skandals zu spüren, der ben wollen. Das Leben hat in der Bischofs- in den letzten Monaten nicht nur die bel- stadt seine Tücken, die Grabesruhe ist gische Kirche erschüttert hat. vatican 8-9|2010 25 einblicke missbrauch Der Hochzeitstanz im Freien von Pieter Brueghel d.J. (1564-1638). Baltimore, Walters Art Gallery. 26 vatican 8-9|2010 Wie bei der Suche nach einem Serien- Adriaenssens, empörte sich über den ekla- mörder tauchten am 24. Juni am Hauptsitz tanten Vertrauensbruch und forderte vom des Erzbistum Brüssel-Mechelen Fahn- christdemokratischen Justizminister Ste- der des Untersuchungsrichters von Brüs- faan de Clerck die Einsetzung eines parla- sel auf und durchsuchten mit nahezu bos- mentarischen Untersuchungsausschusses. hafter Akribie den erzbischöflichen Sitz, Der Minister sagte zu und kündigte an, die die Kathedrale und die Privatwohnung Suchaktion zu annullieren. des ehemaligen belgischen Primas, Kardi- Einige Tage später dann traten Adria- nal Godfried Danneels. Aber nicht genug: enssens und die Mitglieder der nach In der Kathedrale wurden sogar die Sar- ihm benannten Kommission von ihren kophage seiner Vorgänger, der Kardinäle Ämtern zurück. Die unverzichtbare Ver- Jozef-Ernest Van Roey und Léon-Joseph trauensbasis sei zerstört. Sämtliche Com- Suenens auf der Suche nach Beweisma- puter befanden sich unter Verschluss terial angebohrt und mit Kameras über- der Justiz, die Missbrauchsopfer, die sich prüft. Es wurden keine verdächtigen Spu- unter strikter Diskretion an die Kommis- ren gefunden. Das Grab des ersten Primas sion gewandt hatten, fühlten sich verraten. des vergangenen Jahrhunderts, Kardi- Der verantwortliche Richter Jean-Marc nal Désiré Mercier, wagte niemand anzu- Meilleur teilte lediglich mit, Erklärungen rühren. Eine Schändung durch Staatsbe- „gewisser Personen“ hätten seine Ermitt- amte hätte in patriotischen Kreisen hefti- lungsaktion ausgelöst, die Akte befin- ge Proteste ausgelöst, Monsignor Mercier de sich erst im Anfangsstadium, es müsse hatte im Ersten Weltkrieg von der Kan- geprüft werden, ob die Kirche belastendes zel der Kathedrale zum Widerstand gegen Beweismaterial in Fällen sexuellen Miss- die Grausamkeiten der deutschen Einmar- brauchs zurückhalte. schierer aufgerufen. Eine Umfrage ergab, dass eine brei- te Mehrheit der belgischen Bevölke- rung das strenge Vorgehen der Behör- Vertrauensbruch, Rücktritte den zunächst begrüßte. Seit dem Skandal um den Kinderschänder Marc Dutroux Der Zufall wollte es, dass sich die Bel- herrscht bei Pädophilie-Vergehen noch gische Bischofskonferenz beim Eintref- immer ein Trauma. Umgeben von einem fen der zwanzig Polizeibeamten zu ihrer Clan von Verbrechern und Porno-Kun- monatlichen Arbeitssitzung bei Erzbi- den hatte der lebenslänglich Verurteilte schof André Joseph Léonard in Meche- die kleinen Mädchen Julie und Mélissa in len aufhielt. Ohne Rücksicht auf Rang und seine Gewalt gebracht, monatelang miss- Namen wurden die Bischöfe während der braucht und schließlich verhungern las- neunstündigen Razzia in ihrem Versamm- sen. Der Fall löste weltweit Entsetzen aus. lungsraum festgehalten. Die Handys wur- Belgien, so hieß es, sei das „Land der Kin- den ihnen abgenommen, jede Kommuni- derschänder“. Zuvor waren bereits politi- kation verboten. Pikanterie am Rande: Zu sche Querelen in der Sozialistischen Partei ihrem Kreis gehörte auch der Apostolische der französischsprachigen Wallonie mit Nuntius in Belgien und Luxemburg, Erz- Mord geahndet worden. Minister mussten bischof Giacinto Berloco. Sein Diploma- zurücktreten. Hohe Magistrate erwiesen tenausweis gewährte ihm freies Geleit. sich als korrupt, ein Generalanwalt kam Zeitgleich mit der Razzia in der Kathe- hinter Gitter. Der alte Bischofssitz Lüttich drale und der Privatwohnung des Kardi- hieß fortan „Palermo an der Maas“. nals fand eine Hausdurchsuchung in den Räumen der bereits vor zehn Jahren ein- gesetzten Kommission statt, die sich im Wie im Da Vinci-Code Auftrag der Bischöfe mit dem sexuellen Missbrauch durch Geistliche befasst. In Wohl aus Rücksicht auf die Sensibilitä- den Büros wurden die vertraulichen Dos- ten der Öffentlichkeit fiel die Reaktion der siers von 475 Personen beschlagnahmt, die belgischen Bischöfe auf die Razzia eher sich bei dem Ausschuss als Opfer gemeldet verhalten aus. Kardinal Danneels sagte, hatten. Der Vorsitzende dieses Experten- die Justiz müsse „ihre Arbeit tun“. Sein Gremiums, der Kinderpsychiater Peter Nachfolger Erzbischof Léonard bezeich- vatican 8-9|2010 27 einblicke missbrauch nete die Polizeiaktion zwar als „verwun- zeiten, pralle Nacktheiten, schäumendes derlich“, verglich sie jedoch schmun- Klosterbier, jedoch auch an Beginen-Mys- zelnd mit einem Stück aus dem „Da Vinci- tik, Heilig-Blut-Prozessionen, ergreifen- Code“. Die leisen Töne vermitteln das Bild de Kreuzabnahmen und die infame List einer eingeschüchterten Kirche, die es vor- des Besetzers Alba. Hier ist das Land, wo zieht, nach der linken auch noch die rech- Rubens, van Dijk und Jordans, aber auch te Wange hinzuhalten. Mehr als der rasan- die Surrealisten Magritte und Delvaux te Absturz der statistischen Daten über zuhause waren. Seit einer „unbeabsichtig- Kirchenbesuch und Sakramentsempfang ten, aber siegreichen Revolution“ gegen fürchtet man den „inneren Feind“. die verhassten niederländischen Pietisten Im April dieses Jahres trat der Bischof (1830) ist es ein Staat steter Gefährdungen von Brügge, Roger Vangheluwe, mit einem und abenteuerlicher Kompromisse. Die Schuldbekenntnis an die Öffentlichkeit. Er Kirche hat dabei immer eine herausgefor- gestand, während 25 Jahren den Sohn einer derte Rolle gespielt. Christen und Freige- befreundeten Familie sexuell missbraucht sinnte lieferten sich heftige Schulkämpfe. zu haben, auch in seiner Zeit als Bischof. In der Arbeiterfrage stellte sich der spätere Das Land war entsetzt. Der Demissionär Kardinal Joseph Cardijn auf die Seite der zog sich in die Trappistenabtei Westvle- Armen. Ein Hirtenbrief von Kardinal Van teren zurück und sprach von „Finster- Roey bewahrte das Land vor dem Zugriff nis“. Erzbischof Léonard entschuldigte der faschistischen Rex-Bewegung. Im dra- sich mit Tränen in den Augen im Namen matischen Konflikt um den Rücktritt von der katholischen Kirche für die Taten sei- König Leopold III. standen sich katholi- nes Amtsbruders und verkündete Nullto- sche Flamen und sozialistische Wallonen leranz. Doch wollten ihm die einflussrei- in blutigen Straßenkämpfen gegenüber. chen Beobachter aus Kreisen der Freimau- Während den brutalen Heimzahlungen in rerloge „Grand Orient“ sowie selbstkriti- der Kongo-Krise wurden belgische Missio- sche Christen nicht so ganz glauben. Der nare ermordet, Nonnen missbraucht. Kar- engagiert konservative Léonard hatte sich dinal Suenens, der sich im Konzil für den vor seiner Weihe zum belgischen Primas Aufbruch der Weltkirche engagiert hatte, im Februar dieses Jahres als scharfzüngi- musste 1968 mit ansehen, dass die inter- ger Gegner der Homosexualität erwiesen. national anerkannte Katholische Univer- Nach seiner Wahl fielen seine Urteile mil- sität Löwen im kleinlichen Sprachenstreit der aus; in einer Direktsendung des belgi- zerbrach. Danach trennte sich auch die schen Fernsehens brillierte der Sympathi- einst führende Katholische Partei in zwei sant der Tridentinischen Messe mit unver- Sprachflügel. fänglichen Antworten. Seit den frühen neunziger Jahren spe- Gegen seinen Vorgänger Danneels kuliert die Presse über hunderte Kla- wurde unterdessen der Vorwurf erho- gen wegen sexuellen Missbrauchs durch ben worden, im Besitz von Dokumen- Priester, die ein ehemaliger Pfarrer Kar- ten aus dem Dutroux-Prozess und dubi- dinal Danneels aushändigte. Es soll auch osen Fotos gewesen zu sein. Die Beschul- bereits von Bischof Vangheluwe die Rede digungen stammten aus einer undich- gewesen sein, doch Danneels kann sich ten Quelle in der Justiz und erwiesen sich nicht erinnern. 1997 kam es im bischöfli- als nicht haltbar. Der sichtlich angeschla- chen Palais von Mechelen bereits zu einer gene Kardinal, der während zehn Stun- Hausdurchsuchung. Ein pädophiler Geist- den verhört worden war, erstattete Anzei- licher aus Brüssel, der acht Minderjähri- ge: Vertrauensbruch des Gerichtes, Ruf- ge vergewaltigt hatte, soll von der Hier- schädigung, Verletzungen des Berufs- und archie gedeckt worden sein. Doch wurde Dienstgeheimnisses. Kardinal
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