Catholic diocese in Austria stung by porn found at seminary
Bishop fights calls for his resignation
VIENNA -- A vast cache of child pornography and photos of young priests having sex has been discovered at a Roman Catholic seminary, officials said yesterday, leading politicians and church leaders to demand a criminal probe and the resignation of the bishop in charge.
Bishop Kurt Krenn, who oversees the diocese, refused to step down, dismissing the images as a "childish prank."
Leaders of the Catholic diocese of St. Poelten, where the seminary is located about 50 miles west of Vienna, spent much of the day in an emergency meeting.
The seminary's director, the Rev. Ulrich Kuechl, resigned along with his deputy, Wolfgang Rothe, the diocese said after the meeting. It did not elaborate.
As many as 40,000 photos and an undisclosed number of films, including child pornography, were found a year ago on computers at the seminary, the respected news magazine Profil reported.
It published several images purportedly showing young priests and their instructors kissing and fondling each other, and said others showed them engaging in orgies and sex games. The child pornography came mostly from websites based in Poland, the magazine said.
Hannes Jarolim, a spokesman for the opposition Socialist Party, urged the Interior Ministry yesterday to launch a criminal investigation. The Austrian Bishops Conference, in a statement, pledged a full and swift internal investigation.
Krenn, a conservative churchman, told Austrian television he had seen photos of seminary leaders in sexual situations with students, but he described the images as part of an elaborate prank that "had nothing to do with homosexuality."
His nonchalance drew swift and scathing reaction across the overwhelmingly Catholic nation.
"Collecting child pornography cannot be dismissed as a prank," said Thomas Huber, a Green Party politician.
A group of St. Poelten Diocese officials planned to ask the Vatican to remove Krenn as bishop, Austrian radio reported yesterday.
Asked whether he intended to resign, Krenn said bluntly: "No."
