During his flight to the USA Pope Benedict XVI. answered: „I will not speak at this moment about homosexuality: this is another thing. We will absolutely exclude paedophiles from the sacred ministry; it is absolutely incompatible, and who is really guilty of being a paedophile cannot be a priest … We have made a visitation of the seminaries, and we will do all that is possible in the education of seminarians for a deep spiritual, human and intellectual formation for the students. Only sound persons can be admitted to the priesthood and only persons with a deep personal life in Christ and who have a deep sacramental life. So, I know that the bishops and directors of seminarians will do all possible to have a strong, strong discernment because it is more important to have good priests than to have many priests.“ Although the Holy Father was not directly speaking about homosexuality, there could be the special case of homosexual relationship between directors and seminarians.

Therefore some weeks ago Pope Benedict XVI. personally confirmed the measures taken by bishop Klaus Küng within the Austrian diocese St. Pölten as a final reaction to the Austrian seminary scandal of 2004. Klaus Küng had been nominated Apostolic visitator by Pope John Paul II. In the official statement of the Austrian bishop from April 3rd, 2008, you find again the clear attitude of Pope Benedict XVI., following his predecessor:

„After the Apostolic visitation [in the Austrian diocese St. Pölten during 2004] and because of its results bishop Küng has adopted as first step the necessary measures, and afterwards – as the measures did not reach the aim – he has opened a disciplinary procedure against [each of the former seminarian directors] prelate Ulrich Küchl and Wolfgang F. Rothe. After all documents were checked again by the competent congregations of the Holy See, the measures taken by the diocesan bishop were confirmed as suitable, and all recourses [sent to the Holy See by the two priests] were rejected. The Pope has approved this decision of the congregations in forma specifica, i. e. he has made it to his own decision. Both priests are called to a spiritual reflection and have to follow the instructions of the diocesan bishop. Prelate Küchl will be definitely no longer in the office as parish priest of [the Austrian villages] Eisgarn und Eggern, and he is requested to renounce personally the office of provost. Otherwise his attitude will lead probably to the abolition of the collegiate community of Eisgarn. Concerning the diocese of St. Pölten, prelate Küchl will retire. There would be also the possibility of doing a priestly service in an other diocese, which should be appropriate to this situation, if he fulfills the necessary conditions. Rothe will lose definitely all offices, which he held in the diocese of St. Pölten. He remains priest of the diocese of St. Pölten and will receive – after a time of spiritual reflection – an appropriate duty in an other diocese. Both priests are first of all suspended from doing any priest’s service. If there is evidence of reflection, the suspension will be softened. And as the conditions for a new service as priests are reached, the suspension is to be taken away. Both – prelate Küchl and Rothe – will no longer be active in the area of education of seminarians.“