A monastery in Upper Austria hit by accusations of sexual abuse announced today it had suspended two more of its clergy after further complaints, taking to five the suspensions in one week.One of the padres accused of sexual abuse at the Kremsmuenster monastery apologised for his behaviour and said he 'never meant to be a sadist'.
'Father Alfons has been relieved of his duties ... and Father Petrus will also be suspended from his duties until the allegations have been fully investigated,' Abbot Ambros Ebhart said in a statement on the monastery's website.
A third padre, Father Benedikt, was suspended last week on the same charges while two other padres were suspended after allegations of physical abuse.
The abuse is alleged to have taken place largely in the 1980s.
Father Petrus reports to the authorities today and the other two have agreed to work with the authorities and a special diocese committee on abuse, the statement said.
The number of complaints of sexual abuse by priests has been growing in Austria since cases came to light earlier this month.
In the wake of the snowballing scandal, Archbishop of Salzburg Alois Kothgasser called for a rethink of the Catholic Church's rule of priest celibacy.
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SIC: RTÉ