'Plausible' allegations made against ACN founder

Fr van Straaten

Source: ACN

A German newspaper called 'Christ und Welt' published an article yesterday with allegations against Father Werenfried van Straaten, who set up Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in 1947 and who died in 2003. The article draws on a letter leaked to the newspaper concerning allegations of sexual assault committed against a 23 year-old woman in 1973. When the woman made the allegations in 2011, she had requested confidentiality. Now the matter has gone public, ACN has issued the following statements.

International Executive President Dr Thomas Heine-Geldern said: "ACN is dismayed by the serious accusations published in the ZEIT supplement 'Christ&Welt' on 10.02.2021 in connection with the founder of the organisation, Father Werenfried van Straaten. The organisation completely condemns the kind of behaviour of which Father van Straaten is accused in the article.

In its commitment to an open and complete clarification ACN states the following, relying on all information to hand:

- In 2010, a woman made an accusation of sexual assault against Father van Straaten, which allegedly took place in 1973. The person was 23 years old at the time. Father van Straaten had already died in 2003. The account was plausible, even if the question of guilt remains open as by the time the allegation was made the accused was deceased.

- Those responsible at ACN followed the procedure recommended for the ecclesiastical sector in Germany regarding cases of abuse. In line with these protocols, the affected person was awarded financial aid of 16,000 EUR in recognition of the suffering.

- Those responsible at ACN immediately informed the proper ecclesiastical authorities.

- The filing of civil action, which had been considered at the same time, proved to be impossible because the accused had already died.

- The woman concerned expressed the wish for confidentiality. ACN respected this wish.

- The charity is unaware of any other allegations of sexual violence involving Father van Straaten.

In 2011, ACN was re-founded as a Pontifical Foundation. The charity's internal structures and operating procedures underwent a thorough-going overhaul. A new management structure was put in place. Safeguarding guidelines for the prevention of sexual abuse were also implemented and established as indispensable funding criteria necessary for all ACN projects.

At the heart of the work of ACN remains the service for persecuted and suffering Christians. This mission can only be carried out thanks to the trust of numerous benefactors on all continents. ACN will do everything in its power not to disappoint the trust of its benefactors in order to continue its service to Christians worldwide. "

Neville Kyrke-Smith, ACN UK National Director: said: "Aid to the Church in Need UK was alerted to this serious allegation when notification of the possible publication of a leaked letter in "Christ und Welt" became known after an ACN International Zoom call on 29th January 2021.

"ACN UK would like to place on record its deep distress regarding this alleged incident and the terrible hurt of the woman concerned. We are very glad that ACN International has reached out to her.

"The work of this charity for suffering and needy Christians is of paramount importance in today's world. We are a UK charity, registered with the Charity Commission, with an independent board and independently regulated, having our own governance - including full safeguarding procedures - and with the oversight of our own funds supporting particular projects."

Detailed answers to the article can be found at: https://acninternational.org/questions-answers-regarding-christwelt/