Fr Hermann Geissler © The Times of Malta

Innocent Verdict: Father Herman Geissler Acquitted of Advances in Confessional

Verdict of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, Not Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Where He Led Doctrinal Section, to Ensure Complete Objectivity

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Share this Entry
Innocent: After an objective administrative criminal trial, Fr. Hermann Geissler is acquitted of charges that he made advances in the confessional toward a woman.
In a statement today, May 17, 2019, of the Apostolic Signatura, the Signatura acquitted the Austrian priest, who always maintained he was innocent, but stepped down from his role as the leader of the Doctrinal Section of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to not adversely affect his community or the congregation.
The court’s communiqué recalls that Pope Francis entrusted this “administrative criminal trial” to the court of the Apostolic Signatura, “at the request of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith”, for which Fr. Geissler led a department, to ensure impartiality of the tribunal.
He resigned from his post on January 29 to face the canonical trial and proclaim his innocence, the same source recalls.
“A panel composed of five members of the Supreme Court was formed and, meeting on May 15, issued the decree of acquittal of the accused,” since “the configuration of the alleged serious offense” was not proven “with the requisite moral certainty”, after a “careful examination of the case.”
The Austrian theologian, who is member of the German community “The Work” (“Das Werk”), or “Spiritual Family Work” (“Familia spiritualis Opus”) (FSO), had been accused by an ex-nun of this community for alleged “advances” in the confessional.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Share this Entry

Deborah Castellano Lubov

Deborah Castellano Lubov is Senior Vatican & Rome Correspondent for ZENIT; author of 'The Other Francis' ('L'Altro Francesco') featuring interviews with those closest to the Pope and preface by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin (currently published in 5 languages); Deborah is also NBC & MSNBC Vatican Analyst. She often covers the Pope's travels abroad, often from the Papal Flight (including for historic trips such as to Abu Dhabi and Japan & Thailand), and has also asked him questions on the return-flight press conference on behalf of the English-speaking press present. Lubov has done much TV & radio commentary, including for NBC, Sky, EWTN, BBC, Vatican Radio, AP, Reuters and more. She also has contributed to various books on the Pope and has written for various Catholic publications. For 'The Other Francis': http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page219.html or https://www.amazon.com/Other-Francis-Everything-They-about/dp/0852449348/

Support ZENIT

If you liked this article, support ZENIT now with a donation