Representatives of the Luxembourg diocese faced questions from MPs on Wednesday over their response to the Caritas scandal, revealing details of a stalled internal solution and ongoing efforts to prevent liquidation.

On Wednesday morning, members of the Special Parliamentary Committee on the Caritas Affair met with representatives of the Luxembourg diocese, including Auxiliary Bishop Leo Wagener and the diocese's general economist, Marc Wagener. The discussions shed light on the diocese's response to the €61 million embezzlement scandal at Caritas.

The representatives revealed that shortly after the scandal came to light, the foundation explored an internal solution, proposing the creation of a new entity called "Caritas Newco". The diocese was prepared to contribute €500,000 to the initiative. However, the plan was never implemented, and no further action was taken at the time.

In September 2024, a new entity, Help on the Ground (HUT), was established to address the fallout from the scandal. Unlike Caritas, the diocese has no affiliation with HUT. Following the meeting, MPs raised questions about why the diocese did not take a more proactive role or engage with the Caritas crisis committee during the critical period.

Auxiliary Bishop Leo Wagener defended the diocese's actions, stating that it intervened in areas where it had the capacity to act. He also noted that the council of the Caritas Foundation – or what remains of it – continues to meet regularly. According to Wagener, the council is currently focused on avoiding a forced liquidation of the organisation.