Walter Mixa
Encyclopedia
Walter Johannes Mixa is a German
Catholic priest, and Bishop Emeritus of Augsburg and Ordinary Emeritus of the Bundeswehr
. He resigned as Bishop of Augsburg
in 2010 due to allegations of fraud and violence towards children who had been in his care.
(today Chorzów, Poland). His family fled to Western Germany at the end of World War II
. Mixa passed his Abitur
in 1964 and studied Catholic theology in Dillingen
and Fribourg
. He was ordained in 1970 in Augsburg and thereafter he studied for his doctorate at the University of Augsburg
. From 1973 to 1996 he also worked as a religion teacher in Schrobenhausen
. In 1975 Mixa became a Parish priest in Schrobenhausen and bishop of Eichstätt in 1996. In August 2000 Mixa was appointed Catholic Military Bishop of the Bundeswehr by Pope John Paul II. In July 2005 Mixa became Bishop of Augsburg, to be succeeded in Eichstätt by Bp. Gregor Maria Hanke OSB.
.
According to the Times
newspaper, Mixa is outspoken and "has railed against the German Government for making "birth machines" out of women" and has "compared abortion
to the Holocaust
". He has also condemned Israel
's treatment of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories
and has said of the 2010 child abuse scandal that "The sexual revolution of the 1960s is at least partly to blame for this".
by five ex-pupils of a children's care home, which Mixa served as a visiting priest in the 1970s and 1980s. He has denied the allegations. Further accusers have come forward and the bishop says that he cannot remember any of them. In April 2010 Mixa stated that he cannot exclude having slapped children 20–30 years ago saying he was "sorry for causing many people grief", though, according to BBC, he didn't explain what exactly he meant.
On 21 April, he offered his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI
, which was accepted on 8 May 2010. His successor in Augsburg would be Bp. Konrad Zdarsa formerly of Görlitz
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Catholic priest, and Bishop Emeritus of Augsburg and Ordinary Emeritus of the Bundeswehr
Military Ordinariate of Germany
The Military Ordinariate of Germany is a military ordinariate of the Roman Catholic Church. Immediately subject to the Holy See, it provides pastoral care to Roman Catholics serving in the German Armed Forces and their families....
. He resigned as Bishop of Augsburg
Bishop of Augsburg
The Bishop of Augsburg is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg in the Ecclesiastical province of München und Freising.The diocese covers an area of 13,250 km².The current bishop is Konrad Zdarsa who was appointed in 2010....
in 2010 due to allegations of fraud and violence towards children who had been in his care.
Biography
Mixa was born in Königshütte, SilesiaSilesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
(today Chorzów, Poland). His family fled to Western Germany at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Mixa passed his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in 1964 and studied Catholic theology in Dillingen
University of Dillingen
The University of Dillingen, at Dillingen an der Donau in southern Germany, existed from 1551 to 1803. It was located in Swabia, then a district of Bavaria.-Foundation:...
and Fribourg
University of Fribourg
The University of Fribourg is a university in the city of Fribourg, Switzerland.The roots of the University can be traced back to 1582, when the notable Jesuit Peter Canisius founded the Collège Saint-Michel in the City of Fribourg. In 1763, an Academy of law was founded by the state of Frobourg...
. He was ordained in 1970 in Augsburg and thereafter he studied for his doctorate at the University of Augsburg
University of Augsburg
The University of Augsburg is a university located in the Universitätsviertel section of Augsburg, Germany. It was founded in 1970 and is organized in 7 Faculties....
. From 1973 to 1996 he also worked as a religion teacher in Schrobenhausen
Schrobenhausen
Schrobenhausen is a town in the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Paar, approx. 25 km southwest of Ingolstadt, and 35 km northeast of Augsburg....
. In 1975 Mixa became a Parish priest in Schrobenhausen and bishop of Eichstätt in 1996. In August 2000 Mixa was appointed Catholic Military Bishop of the Bundeswehr by Pope John Paul II. In July 2005 Mixa became Bishop of Augsburg, to be succeeded in Eichstätt by Bp. Gregor Maria Hanke OSB.
Beliefs
Mixa is described as being conservative and close to Pope BenedictPope 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...
.
According to the Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper, Mixa is outspoken and "has railed against the German Government for making "birth machines" out of women" and has "compared abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
to the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
". He has also condemned Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's treatment of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories
Israeli-occupied territories
The Israeli-occupied territories are the territories which have been designated as occupied territory by the United Nations and other international organizations, governments and others to refer to the territory seized by Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967 from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria...
and has said of the 2010 child abuse scandal that "The sexual revolution of the 1960s is at least partly to blame for this".
Abuse allegations
In March 2010 he was accused of physical abusePhysical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
by five ex-pupils of a children's care home, which Mixa served as a visiting priest in the 1970s and 1980s. He has denied the allegations. Further accusers have come forward and the bishop says that he cannot remember any of them. In April 2010 Mixa stated that he cannot exclude having slapped children 20–30 years ago saying he was "sorry for causing many people grief", though, according to BBC, he didn't explain what exactly he meant.
On 21 April, he offered his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI
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...
, which was accepted on 8 May 2010. His successor in Augsburg would be Bp. Konrad Zdarsa formerly of Görlitz
Roman Catholic Diocese of Görlitz
The Diocese of Görlitz is a diocese of the Roman Catholic church in Germany. The current ordinary is Wolfgang Ipolt-History:For the history until 1972 see the History of the See of Breslau....
.