After the presentation of the new abuse report, Cardinal Woelki may want to temporarily relieve executives of their duties. He himself will also face the results, he announced on Sunday.
On 18. March – the day of the presentation – responsibilities would be "clearly stated," Cardinal Woelki said Sunday. Then there is also the question of consequences.
"I expect the same from others"
"In order to be able to make these important decisions quickly and decisively, but also with due diligence, I will temporarily release persons named in the expert opinion – if necessary – from their duties," said Cardinal.
"As far as I am concerned, I have already stated that I will face the results of the investigation," Woelki also said. "However, I expect the same from others as well."There should be no more cover-up or mousing in the archdiocese. "To this attitude I stand."
Responsibility and consistency
He gets a lot of anger and disappointment, the cardinal said. As a bishop and Christian, however, he is "deeply convinced that only the truth can free us from the shadows of the past". Even people who are still alive would have to take responsibility. "Responsibility and consistency – that is fundamentally part of penance."
On Friday, the archdiocese had announced that it would present an expert opinion by criminal lawyer Bjorn Gercke as planned on 18. March to present. The expert opinion is to reappraise earlier cases of sexual abuse by clergymen.
This also involves naming responsible persons who protected perpetrators and covered up crimes. According to his own information, the archbishop also learns the results of the investigation only on 18. March.
Criticism: Lack of the will to enlighten
Gercke was commissioned with the investigation last fall, after Woelki did not want to let publish a first reappraisal report of a Munich law firm. He considers it flawed and not legally secure, it was said in justification. Critics accuse the cardinal of lacking the will to clarify the matter.