Bishops of Münster and Osnabrück to seek criminalization of spiritual abuse

Bishops Heiner Wilmer of Münster and Dominicus Meier of Osnabrück intend to advocate for the recognition of spiritual abuse as a specific criminal offense within canon law. The bishops made this announcement following a press conference regarding the study "Power through Charisma: Spiritual Abuse in Clerical Communities," which was released by the University of Münster on September 25, 2026.

The study was commissioned by the German Bishops' Conference, the dioceses of Münster and Osnabrück, and the Orden der Franziskanerinnen vom heiligen Martyrer Georg zu Thuine. Researchers led by Judith Könemann examined spiritual abuse as a distinct form of power abuse, specifically looking at two groups: the Christusgemeinschaft (CG) and the Totus Tuus Neuevangelisierung (TT).

In response to the findings, the German Bishops' Conference plans to form a working group to evaluate existing materials and address the study's results. Bishop Wilmer, who also serves as the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, stated his intention to seek this legal change from the Vatican. The bishops also pledged to continue offering assistance to those affected by abuse.