Seminary Closed Amidst Pornography Scandal

Bishop Klaus Küng was appointed just three weeks ago by Pope John Paul II to look into allegations that future priests at the seminary in the Austrian diocese of St. Pölten were hoarding child pornography. On Thursday he called for the immediate closure of the seminary stating that his investigation had uncovered "very painful" revelations of sexual misconduct.

"A new beginning is necessary. I am closing the seminary right away," Küng told reporters. The emissary did not go into detail about what his probe had revealed, but did say that some of the would-be priests had "obsessively" downloaded pornographic images from the Internet. He added that the selection criteria for young men entering the seminary had been lax, and that they would now introduce a screening process for both new and existing students in order to secure a fresh start. But not everyone will be allowed to return to the seminary. "Those who do not seem suited for priesthood, will be helped to find a new professional direction," Küng told reporters.

He was also keen to stress that the closure was just a temporary measure, but did not offer a time-scale for the re-opening of the baroque seminary, which has been training young men for the priesthood for more than 200 years.

Growing storm

Austrian authorities first came across pornographic images at the seminary at the end of last year. Since when they have found 40,000 images and videos, including child pornography. But it was only after the publication of some pictures showing sexual relations between priesthood students and their teachers in an Austrian magazine that Pope John Paul II sent Küng as an "apostolic visitor" to diffuse the growing scandal.

The Vatican has already disempowered the bishop of the St. Pölten diocese, Kurt Krenn, in connection with the scandal. But Krenn, who played down the scandal -- referring to the photos of priests kissing and fondling as "childish pranks" -- has refused to step down.

On Friday a former seminary student from Poland was convicted of possessing child pornography, and given a 6-month suspended sentence.