Church: The priest is supposed to disguise his girlfriend as a domestic worker

At the age of 18, Kilian Karrer decides how his life should go until death. He had spent two weeks as a guest at the Mariastein Monastery and then only a wish. He wanted to become a monk. He completed the last tasks of his previous life, high school and military, and entered the monastery at 19 years old. At the age of 23, he made his perpetual profession. He promised to spend his entire single life in the monastery under the Rule of St. Benedict, and committed himself to obedience to the monastic community and authorities. In return, the monastery guaranteed to take care of him, even though he was old, sick and weak.

Today, three decades later, Karrer is looking for words to explain his decision at that time. He had gone through normal puberty, but yes, he had been a geek at school. His interests: history, books and classical music. At the monastery he loved Gregorian chants, sacristy work and fixed daily structures. He worked seven days a week, early in the morning until late in the evening, and finished more than double the 42-hour work week. He was one of the most engaged and one of the youngest at the age of 51 years old. He also enjoyed a great reputation. He was one of the monks who were ordained and led the religious services. The shock was all the greater when Karrer came out.

Visit of a convent to the monastery

Two years ago, the Benedictine monk met the woman who was to hunt monastic structures: Natascha Imark, the sexton of the Catholic Church of Witterswil SO, a small village near the monastery. The sexton lived in the parsonage and was responsible for church maintenance and service preparation. For example, she always put the liturgical book in the right place for the priest. Kilian Karrer was the pastor of the Sakristan Association of the Basel Region. So they crossed each other.

From that moment on, she visited him at the convent, where they crossed the garden and presented to them the secrets of the liturgical books. The monk and the sexton lead a platonic love story. At that time, they never became intimate and at best kept the hiding place, they say.

For a year and a half, Father Kilian lived with his secret. In January of this year, he dedicated his confreres. The male community has treated the state of emergency in its own way: with silence. In February, Karrer left the monastery, settled in Witterswil and submitted a request for exklustration. With this procedure, which lasts from six months to three years, the withdrawal is prepared. Meanwhile, a monk lives outside the monastery, but is still bound to his wishes. "It's like the probationary period to leave a prison," Karrer says. The superiors of the monastery set the conditions of probation. They say where the monk lives and what he is allowed to work. The purpose of the monastery is that the brother finds at this time interests other than human love and return to the community.

In April, Karrer received the indult, suspended sentence from the Swiss Benedictine Association. He was told that the trial would take three years in his case. Because the document traffic goes to Rome. For three years, Karrer could not have lived with his lover.

He received an offer from the pastoral hall Solothurnisches Leimental. He was offered a job as a pastoral ward assistant. But he should have waited for the first three years. Before the situation with the monastery was clarified, a job was out of the question, announced the bishop.

He was also offered a Catholic solution for his love problem: he could have lived in the presbytery and declared his wife the couple was out of the question. The two wanted to marry to live together their faith. They saw only one way: they converted and joined the Reformed Church. In May, the couple is married at the registry office and in June in front of nearly 80 people in a reformed service.

Kilian and Natascha Karrer sit side by side at the Landhuus restaurant in Witterswil. He puts his arm around his shoulder and strokes his blouse. She shines and says, "It really honors me that he gave up everything for me." But his eyes fill with tears. Both found their personal happiness, but that's when the professional problems began.

Natasha Karrer received a registered letter. The church board has partially suspended him from his duties. She remains a sexton, but loses her homework. This means that she is only allowed to clean the church. The sacristan ministry was more than a job for them, she saw it as their vocation. She was very involved in the Catholic Church, some accused her of being too committed. Now she could lose everything. A month ago, a parish congregation was held in Witterswil, even demanding that the couple leave the community.

Pope Francis praised ecumenism during his visit to Geneva. But in Witterswil, a reformed person in the service of the Catholic Church is undesirable. As in many similar cases, the priest's partner suffers even more than in the Karrers. She said, "I felt guilty. I've been branded as evil, seductive. "

A Progressive Diocese?

The case shows that the diocese of Basel is not so different from the Diocese of Chur, as one might think.There Marcel Köhle, the priest of Brigels, announced his resignation last Sunday in the service.He also fell in love with a woman.In the conservative diocese of Chur, it will be particularly difficult for him to find a new job.On the other hand, the diocese of Basel is trying to position itself progressively and claims to offer new solutions to those affected.

Natascha and Kilian Karrer state: "In our case, the Catholic Church has not tried to keep us." Received a lot Positive feedback but little concrete support

When cases like Brigels and Mariastein become public, the debate on the abolition of celibacy is still starting, and it is handled in a particularly intensive way by high dignitaries. s lose their job out of love, as in the case of the resignation of the bishop of Basel, Hansjörg Vogel, in 1995. In the bishopric of Basel only, every two years, a priest gave up his duties because that he was no longer able to cope with celibacy. Staff problems are exacerbated by this. But changes occur even more slowly in the church than in politics. Even if celibacy were to be abolished at the same time, Karrer's point of view would not solve the problems. The religious authority, the high stylization of the priest, should also be completed, he demands.

Kilian Karrer wants to work as a reformed pastor in two years. In the autumn semester he begins his studies at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Basel. Currently, he continues to float with a part-time job as a production employee of a lamp company. In addition, he registered with the Regional Agency for Employment.

Karrer considers bureaucracy as one of the biggest challenges of his new daily life. Until here, the monastery is busy with everything. Now he had to open a bank account first. However, he continues a tradition of his old life. He prays with his wife several times a day. Natasha and Kilian Karrer hope their new life will take a good turn.

(bzbasel.ch)