# Spiritual abuse investigation in German Catholic communities > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/spiritual-abuse-investigation-in-german-catholic-communities > Updated: 2026-10-05T12:10:00.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2. A study by the University of Münster investigated spiritual abuse within two religious communities in the Catholic dioceses of Osnabrück and Münster. Researchers found that leaders used methods such as indoctrination, humiliation, and arbitrary decision-making to demand “self-abandonment, self-surrender, and submission” from members. The study concluded that this abuse is driven by power interests and can cause psychological and physical impacts as severe as sexual abuse. In response to these findings, Catholic bishops Heiner Wilmer of Münster and Dominicus Meier of Osnabrück have called for spiritual abuse to be classified as a punishable offense under canon law. Bishop Meier noted that the current lack of a defined offense makes it difficult to sanction accused individuals, while Bishop Wilmer expressed intentions to advocate in Rome to address these legal gaps. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-05: German bishops demand spiritual abuse be criminalized in canon law German Catholic bishops are calling for spiritual abuse to be recognized as a punishable offense under canon law following a study on psychological abuse in religious communities. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-bishops-demand-spiritual-abuse-be-criminalized-in-canon-law ### 2026-09-25: University of Münster study reveals spiritual abuse in Catholic communities A University of Münster study reveals patterns of spiritual abuse and power misuse within two Catholic communities in Osnabrück and Münster, Germany. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/university-of-mnster-study-reveals-spiritual-abuse-in-catholic-communities --- Cite as: Spiritual abuse investigation in German Catholic communities. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/spiritual-abuse-investigation-in-german-catholic-communities