Offenes Herz

Offenes Herz is a German civil-law association (eingetragener Verein) that emerged as a civil successor organisation to the Catholic spiritual community Points Cœur. Points Cœur was founded in 1990 by Thierry de Roucy as an international visiting service among the poor, initially in Paraná, Argentina, and was recognised by the Catholic Church from 2001. Following the founder's conviction for sexual and power abuse, the priestly branch was dissolved in 2017 and the sisters' branch in 2020; the community itself voted to dissolve in 2020. Civil-law successor organisations, including a French association of the same name and the German association Offenes Herz, continue to operate in more than 20 countries. Church authorities state that these organisations have 'no canonical connection' to the Catholic Church and criticise them for continuing to present themselves as an ecclesial community. Offenes Herz thus represents the German strand of a wider network of civil entities that carry on the humanitarian mission of visiting and accompanying isolated and suffering people, while operating outside formal canonical structures.

Offenes Herz is the German civil-law association that continues the humanitarian work of the Catholic spiritual community Points Cœur. That community was founded in 1990 by Thierry de Roucy, a French priest and former superior of the Serviteurs de Jésus et de Marie, initially in Paraná, Argentina, as an international visiting service among the poor. It grew rapidly, opening 26 houses in 15 countries within a decade, and by its 28th anniversary in 2018 it reported 40 houses in 26 countries and more than 2,000 volunteers sent since its foundation. It held special consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC from 2005. However, the community faced mounting concerns: families and former members raised alarms about a personality cult around the founder and an all-encompassing communal spirituality, and a former secretary filed a canonical complaint alleging sexual abuse. A confidential report by the French bishops' conference office on sectarian drift was produced in December 2013. Following a canonical investigation, the founder was convicted of sexual and power abuse. The priestly branch was dissolved in 2017 and the sisters' branch in 2020; the community itself voted to dissolve in 2020 by a three-quarters majority. The dissolutions were based on 'serious and persistent irregularities'. Civil-law successor organisations, including a French association of the same name and the German association Offenes Herz, continue to operate in more than 20 countries. Church authorities state that these organisations have 'no canonical connection' to the Catholic Church and criticise them for continuing to present themselves as an ecclesial community.

• Points Cœur founded by Thierry de Roucy in Paraná, Argentina.

• Civil association Points Cœur established in France.

• Points Cœur recognised by the Catholic Church.

• Special consultative status with UN ECOSOC.

• Priestly branch dissolved.

• Sisters' branch dissolved; community votes to dissolve itself.

1. 1Points Cœur (geistliche Gemeinschaft)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2Accueil – Points-Cœurpointscoeur.org
3. 3Wikidata Q130472207wikidata.org