Europe News

Former Norwegian Catholic bishop led services in Germany

Apr 8, 2010, 9:04 GMT

Oslo - A former Catholic bishop who left his post in Norway after admitting that he had abused a choirboy when serving as a priest has continued to lead services in his native Germany, reports said Thursday.

German-born Georg Mueller left his post as bishop of the diocese of Trondheim in June 2009.

Since December 2009, he has led at least 10 worship services at a chapel at a Catholic-run hospital near Osnabrueck, north-western Germany, the Adresseavisen newspaper reported, citing a spokesman for the Franziskus Hospital.

Roland Knillmann said Mueller had stepped in when there was no other priest available, and other church members were always at hand with him at the services that were open for nuns, patients and people in the area, the newspaper said.

The spokesman was quoted as saying he was unaware that Mueller had left his post in Trondheim after admitting to the abuse of a choirboy some 20 years ago when he was a priest.

Mueller's successor as bishop in Trondheim and Oslo, Bernt Eidsvig, said Wednesday the Vatican launched a probe in early 2009. When confronted with the allegations, Mueller admitted to it and left Norway.

Eidsvig told Adresseavisen that he was unaware that Mueller had taken part in services since his resignation and said it was 'improper and unacceptable'.

Police in the Trondheim said Wednesday they had launched a probe into alleged child abuse linked to the Catholic church in the mainly Lutheran country, and that Mueller was a suspect.

About 80 per cent of Norway's 4.8 million people belong to the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, while the Catholic church has some 46,000 members.