The Roman Catholic Church in Germany has suspended a priest over allegations he sexually abused a boy nearly a decade ago. "I am very concerned that a priest in one of our churches has come under suspicion," said Werner Thissen, archbishop of Hamburg, in an online statement on Thursday.
"If young people have suffered because of a priest, we deeply regret it."
A spokesman for state prosecutors in the northern port city said an investigation was started after a member of the local Polish-German community filed a charge via his lawyer. The man alleged the priest had sexually abused a young boy in 1999.
The lawyer, the priest and his accuser had Polish backgrounds, the spokesman said. He gave no further details.
Archbishop Thissen said he had relieved the priest of his duties until the allegations had been investigated.
Pope Benedict, a German, has lately been at pains to apologise for sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church.
During a visit to the United States this month, Benedict repeatedly spoke out against child molestation by U.S. priests and met victims of the abuse.
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