BERLIN (Reuters) – The head of the German Bishops’ Conference on Thursday pledged a no-holds-barred investigation into alleged sexual abuses by clerics in the Cologne diocese amid discontent over delays in publishing a report on the matter.
The German Church has been racked by dissent over the decision of the Archbishop of Cologne, Rainer Maria Woelki, to prevent publication of what he said was a flawed report into child abuse.
A second report, conducted by a law firm, which Woelki said does not suffer the same methodological flaws, is due to be published on March 18.
Speaking after the spring meeting of Germany’s 27 Catholic bishops, conference chair Georg Baetzing said all of them were intensely aware of the importance of the work of investigating and atoning for past sexual and physical abuse by clerics.
“(We) stand by our commitment to carry out an unbiased investigation and evaluation of sexual abuses of minors in the church,” Baetzing told a news conference.
“Naturally there is still a lot to do. This matter is by no means resolved and will never be when it comes to prevention. But I reject accusations that bishops have covered things up or done nothing (to address accusations) for years.”
Woelki’s decision not to release the first report sparked outrage in the German Church and particularly in Germany’s most prestigious diocese, home to Cologne’s vast, vaulting 13th century cathedral.
There have also been allegations that Woelki failed in 2015 to report a suspected abuse case to the Vatican.
City authorities received so many requests from Catholics wanting an appointment to formally declare they were leaving the Church that the server recording the requests collapsed, many media reported. Appointments are fully booked for months ahead.
While the worldwide Catholic Church has for decades been buffeted by allegations of child abuse, the position of the German Church has particular impact.
Thanks to church taxes paid by members, the German Catholic Church is among the world’s wealthiest. Moreover, it is the home church of former Pope Benedict XVI, who shaped Church policy through decades of abuse scandals, both as pontiff and as a senior adviser to his predecessor John Paul II.
(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
