Mistakes in dealing with cases of abuse – Osnabrück Bishop Bode resigns

The Osnabrück Catholic bishop Franz-Josef Bode is resigning from his office. Pope Francis accepted the resignation on Saturday, as the German Bishops' Conference announced. Bode said the decision had matured in him over the past few months. The 72-year-old cited the interim report published in September on the processing of sexualized violence in the diocese of Osnabrück as one reason. This once again clearly showed him his own mistakes in dealing with cases of abuse.

The chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Georg Bätzing, stated that he had taken note of Bode's resignation request with "great regret and respect". He paid tribute to Bode's services, among other things, as a youth bishop for many years and in the "tireless commitment" in the church reform process "Synodal Way". Bätzing also emphasized that Bode had taken responsibility for the issue of sexual abuse in the church.

In the report by the University of Osnabrück on cases of abuse in the diocese, Bode was accused of serious breaches of duty in dealing with the accused and those affected. He was repeatedly confronted with demands for his resignation, including from employees of the diocese. According to his own statements, the bishop had already considered resigning after the publication, but initially decided to “pursue the tasks and duties with all his might” that the report shows.

Bode now said that he expressly acknowledged his responsibility and his personal mistakes: "Today I can only ask everyone concerned for forgiveness again!" and had the institution in mind than those affected, misjudged cases and acted hesitantly. He hopes that against the background of the loss of trust suffered, his resignation can also have a liberating effect. At the same time, he referred to measures that he had now initiated to better deal with cases of sexualised violence.

With Bode's resignation, the term of office of the longest-serving bishop in Germany, who has also been deputy chairman of the German Bishops' Conference since 2017, ends. The bishop was also part of the Presidium of the Synodal Path. Bode became auxiliary bishop in the archdiocese of Paderborn in 1991 and has been bishop of Osnabrück since 1995. According to the diocese, the resignation is effective immediately.

In the diocese, the responsibility for leadership initially automatically goes to auxiliary bishop Johannes Wübbe as the longest-serving auxiliary bishop, it said. A diocesan administrator will then be chosen in a secret ballot, who will take over the provisional leadership until a new bishop is elected.