Hans Hermann Groër
Encyclopedia
Hans Hermann Wilhelm Groër, OSB
(1919–2003) was an Austria
n Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Archbishop of Vienna
from 1986 to 1995, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1988. Following allegations of child abuse, he resigned as Archbishop of Vienna on 14 September 1995, and after being asked by Pope John Paul II
, Groër relinquished all ecclesiastical duties and privileges as an archbishop and cardinal on 14 April 1998.
to Sudeten-German
parents, with whom he moved in 1929 to Czechoslovakia
, where they remained for the next decade. He attended seminaries
in Hollabrunn
and Vienna (where he received his doctorate in theology
) before being ordained
to the priesthood
on 12 April 1942 by Cardinal Theodor Innitzer. Groër then served as a chaplain
in Petronell
and Bad Vöslau
until 1946, when he began work as Prefect of Studies at the minor seminary
of Hollabrunn. He entered the Order of Saint Benedict
in 1974 and took the name Hermann upon his solemn profession
of vows
on 8 September 1980. The same year saw Groër named as the spiritual director
of the Legion of Mary
for Austria.
On 15 July 1986, he was appointed the fifteenth Archbishop of Vienna
, succeeding Cardinal Franz König
. Groër received his episcopal consecration
on the following 14 September from Cardinal König, with Archbishop Karl Berg
and Bishop Stefan László serving as co-consecrators
. He was created Cardinal Priest
of Santi Gioacchino ed Anna al Tuscolano
by Pope John Paul II
in the consistory
of 28 June 1988.
on 13 April 1995. Groër retired as Archbishop of Vienna later in 1995 (the Pope having accepted the resignation Groër had been required to submit 13 October 1994 upon turning 75), and was succeeded by his coadjutor. Groër then moved to the Roggendorf monastery, where he served as prior until 1998. His time at the monastery ended after the emergence of further allegations, at which point Groër withdrew from public life. He continued to work as a confessor in women's monasteries, received visitors and said Mass. Suffering from cancer, his health declined rapidly.
Austria's statute of limitations
meant that it was not possible to prosecute Groër, although the Church did choose to investigate the case in 1998. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said in 2010 that then-Cardinal Ratzinger
had attempted to convince Pope John Paul II
to initiate the investigation Schönborn, however, claimed in May 2010 that Cardinal Angelo Sodano
had blocked his attempt to investigate Groër's activities. The church is also alleged to have offered some of Groër's former pupils "hush money". An investigation by Hubertus Czernin
led to the claim in Czernin's book, Das Buch Groer, that Groër had abused more than 2000 young men, although the actual figure remains unknown. Groër continued to deny the allegations until his death.
at a hospital in Sankt Pölten
, about 40 miles west of Vienna, where he had been treated for cancer
. Cardinal Schönborn presided at the requiem Mass in St. Stephan's Cathedral and in his sermon honored his predecessor's accomplishments in strengthening Marian devotions in the Archdiocese as well as fostering priestly and monastic vocations. On the next day, Cardinal Joachim Meisner, Archbishop of Cologne and Member of the Curia's Congregation for Bishops
, presided at the Mass of Christian Burial and said in his sermon that he regretted not having stood as firmly behind Groër as he should have. Cardinal Franz König
was also in attendance. Meisner said: "I was ashamed and disturbed, because I did not at all feel like I had stood by him firmly enough." The deceased Archbishop of Vienna was buried in the cemetery
of the Cistercian women's monastery of Marienfeld, Austria, which he had been instrumental in founding in 1974.
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
(1919–2003) was an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Archbishop of Vienna
Archbishop of Vienna
The Archbishop of Vienna is the prelate of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna who is concurrently the metropolitan bishop of its ecclesiastical province which includes the dioceses of Eisenstadt, Linz and St. Pölten....
from 1986 to 1995, and was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 1988. Following allegations of child abuse, he resigned as Archbishop of Vienna on 14 September 1995, and after being asked by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, Groër relinquished all ecclesiastical duties and privileges as an archbishop and cardinal on 14 April 1998.
Biography
Groër was born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
to Sudeten-German
Sudetenland
Sudetenland is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the northern, southwest and western regions of Czechoslovakia inhabited mostly by ethnic Germans, specifically the border areas of Bohemia, Moravia, and those parts of Silesia being within Czechoslovakia.The...
parents, with whom he moved in 1929 to Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, where they remained for the next decade. He attended seminaries
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Hollabrunn
Hollabrunn
Hollabrunn is a district capital town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, on the Göllersbach river.- History :The surroundings of Hollabrunn were first settled in neolithic times. Around 300 B.C...
and Vienna (where he received his doctorate in theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
) before being ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on 12 April 1942 by Cardinal Theodor Innitzer. Groër then served as a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
in Petronell
Petronell-Carnuntum
Petronell-Carnuntum is a community of Bruck an der Leitha in Austria. Petronell-Carnuntum takes up about 25,36 square kilometers and 1,158 inhabitants .- External links :*...
and Bad Vöslau
Bad Vöslau
Bad Vöslau is a spa town the Lower Austria federal state of Austria. It is also known as the cradle of the Austrian red wine cultivation. Population : 11,190.- History :...
until 1946, when he began work as Prefect of Studies at the minor seminary
Minor seminary
A minor seminary is a secondary boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming priests. They are generally Roman Catholic institutions, and designed to prepare boys both academically and spiritually for vocations to the priesthood...
of Hollabrunn. He entered the Order of Saint Benedict
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
in 1974 and took the name Hermann upon his solemn profession
Profession (religious)
The term religious profession is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church in relation to members of religious institutes as follows:By religious profession members make a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels...
of vows
Religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
on 8 September 1980. The same year saw Groër named as the spiritual director
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
of the Legion of Mary
Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary is an association of Catholic laity who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary members there are in excess of 10 million members worldwide making it...
for Austria.
On 15 July 1986, he was appointed the fifteenth Archbishop of Vienna
Archbishop of Vienna
The Archbishop of Vienna is the prelate of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna who is concurrently the metropolitan bishop of its ecclesiastical province which includes the dioceses of Eisenstadt, Linz and St. Pölten....
, succeeding Cardinal Franz König
Franz König
Franz König was an Austrian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Vienna from 1956 to 1985, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1958...
. Groër received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following 14 September from Cardinal König, with Archbishop Karl Berg
Archbishopric of Salzburg
The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg....
and Bishop Stefan László serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. He was created Cardinal Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of Santi Gioacchino ed Anna al Tuscolano
Santi Gioacchino ed Anna al Tuscolano
Santi Gioacchino ed Anna ai Monti is a church on the Via Monte Polacco in Rome.Pope Clement XIII demolished a thirty-seven year old Minim monastery on this site in 1760 to make way for a new monastery and the present church...
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of 28 June 1988.
Sexual abuse of children
In 1995, a former student of Groër's accused him of sexual molestation, followed, shortly thereafter, by a number of other former students and monks who emerged to make similar allegations. The Holy See then elevated Christoph Schönborn, an auxiliary bishop of Vienna, to Coadjutor archbishopCoadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
on 13 April 1995. Groër retired as Archbishop of Vienna later in 1995 (the Pope having accepted the resignation Groër had been required to submit 13 October 1994 upon turning 75), and was succeeded by his coadjutor. Groër then moved to the Roggendorf monastery, where he served as prior until 1998. His time at the monastery ended after the emergence of further allegations, at which point Groër withdrew from public life. He continued to work as a confessor in women's monasteries, received visitors and said Mass. Suffering from cancer, his health declined rapidly.
Austria's statute of limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
meant that it was not possible to prosecute Groër, although the Church did choose to investigate the case in 1998. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said in 2010 that then-Cardinal Ratzinger
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
had attempted to convince Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
to initiate the investigation Schönborn, however, claimed in May 2010 that Cardinal Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Dean of the College of Cardinals and former Vatican Secretary of State, having held that post from 1990 to 2006, under both popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI...
had blocked his attempt to investigate Groër's activities. The church is also alleged to have offered some of Groër's former pupils "hush money". An investigation by Hubertus Czernin
Hubertus Czernin
Hubertus Czernin was an Austrian investigative journalist....
led to the claim in Czernin's book, Das Buch Groer, that Groër had abused more than 2000 young men, although the actual figure remains unknown. Groër continued to deny the allegations until his death.
Death and Burial Services
Groër died on 24 March 2003 of pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at a hospital in Sankt Pölten
Sankt Pölten
Sankt Pölten is the capital city of the State of Lower Austria in northeast Austria. With inhabitants , it is Lower Austria's largest city...
, about 40 miles west of Vienna, where he had been treated for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Cardinal Schönborn presided at the requiem Mass in St. Stephan's Cathedral and in his sermon honored his predecessor's accomplishments in strengthening Marian devotions in the Archdiocese as well as fostering priestly and monastic vocations. On the next day, Cardinal Joachim Meisner, Archbishop of Cologne and Member of the Curia's Congregation for Bishops
Congregation for Bishops
The Congregation for Bishops is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal...
, presided at the Mass of Christian Burial and said in his sermon that he regretted not having stood as firmly behind Groër as he should have. Cardinal Franz König
Franz König
Franz König was an Austrian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Vienna from 1956 to 1985, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1958...
was also in attendance. Meisner said: "I was ashamed and disturbed, because I did not at all feel like I had stood by him firmly enough." The deceased Archbishop of Vienna was buried in the cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
of the Cistercian women's monastery of Marienfeld, Austria, which he had been instrumental in founding in 1974.