New findings

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The Archdiocese of Cologne comments on the reporting about the handling of a suspected case from 2010. An expert in manuscripts examined the notes in question on Thursday.

In the context of the since 19.10.2020 triggered by the "Bild," the role of Archbishop Dr. Stefan Hebe in dealing with a suspected case of sexual violence in the Archdiocese of Cologne in 2010 much discussed. It has been noticed that some information discussed in public is not reliable, partly represents interpretations and facts are mixed up. Therefore, in the interest of all involved, the Archdiocese would like to classify this information and present the course of events on the basis of reliable facts and the currently available documents.

Period 2010 to 2011

It is about a suspected case of sexual abuse, which occurred on 07.06.2010 was brought to the attention of the police. On 29.10.In 2010, the suspected priest was suspended with immediate effect by Joachim Cardinal Meisner.

Subsequently, it apparently came to a conversation of the suspected pastor in the vicariate general. A handwritten note was made about this conversation, which is still preserved and available, but most of its content is difficult to read. A first transcription attempt has not been able to provide any reliable information about the content of the handwritten note. A second attempt by an archivist and expert in orthographic transcription on Thursday, 22.10.2020, has revealed that the handwritten note consists of three different notes. Of these, the first is a transcript of a hearing of the suspected pastor by Dr. Stefan Hebe, the head of personnel at the time.

In addition, there is a conversation note dated 03.11.2010 about a telephone conversation between the legal advisor of the archdiocese of Cologne and the then defense attorney of the suspected priest. It states that no minutes should be made from the handwritten note so that it could be destroyed if necessary. The then head of the Department of Pastoral Care Personnel, Dr. Hebe, had given his consent to this.

From the passage of the conversation note that the suspected pastor "told everything here", the impression was created that it was a confession. This is an interpretation. According to the result of the last transcription, there is no evidence of a confession. In addition, Dr. Stefan Hebe in a hearing by the public prosecutor's office on 08.12.2010 that the suspected pastor had denied the accusations to him.

On 28.03.In 2011, the investigation against the suspected priest was discontinued after those involved exercised their right to refuse to testify. The statements were thus not retracted, but could no longer be used as evidence. The lawyer of the victims initially filed a complaint against the discontinuation, but later withdrew it, since the victims themselves had asked not to be involved in state or church proceedings. On 22.06.2011 Joachim Cardinal Meisner withdrew the leave of absence and paid the pastor 3.000 euros in legal fees, subject to no further investigation. In accordance with church law, the files on this case were kept separately and under the archbishop's exclusive right of access, but partial files were kept in different places in the archdiocese.

Period 2018 to 2020

After the establishment of the Intervention Unit by Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelki in July 2015, the various files were successively brought together. From 2016, for the so-called MHG study commissioned by the German Bishops' Conference, all files were sifted through, information was compiled for the researchers and made available to them. In the further course, all cases known up to that point were subjected to further internal review and made available to the public prosecutor's offices for renewed review at the end of 2018/beginning of 2019.

In addition, in the fall of 2018, Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelkiindependent investigation was commissioned. It should achieve a comprehensive reappraisal of the events and personal responsibilities in the form of a factual and resilient expert opinion and prepare a report suitable for publication for this purpose.

For the case just discussed in the media, these files were made available to the law firm leading the independent investigation via the then head of the Intervention Unit, Oliver Vogt, and a special opinion was requested. This special report was to clarify whether and which omissions had occurred in the period 2010-2011 and how to proceed with the matter swiftly and decisively. On 07.03.2019 chancery came to the sole conclusion that a report to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome in 2010 was dutifully omitted.

Subsequently, through the intervention office of the Archdiocese of Cologne, the lawyer of the affected persons was informed that an internal investigation had been reopened and asked whether the affected persons could be contacted. Then the affected persons themselves were informed about the then dutifully omitted report and the new investigation by the Intervention Office. On 04.04.In 2019, the suspected priest was again confronted and heard by the archdiocese. He denied all allegations. Am 05.04.2019, the immediate leave of absence and prohibition of the exercise of his priestly ministry ordered by Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelki was communicated in a proclamation and a press release.

Finally, Oliver Vogt was placed on 08.04.2019 informed that by the reopening of the case by the Archdiocese of Cologne, the persons concerned would repeat their original statements. One day later, Oliver Vogt telephoned the public prosecutor's office, which then resumed the investigation. In order not to impede investigations by the public prosecutor's office, all steps under church law were closely coordinated with the public prosecutor's office. On 14.04.2020*, all files on the suspected pastor were finally handed over to the public prosecutor's office, which on 31.07.2020 finally brought charges. The archdiocese has agreed to pay the legal fees of those affected.

*Note: At this point, at the time of publication on 22.10.2020 the date 14.04.2019, but the correct date is 14.04.2020. The files have been sent to the public prosecutor's office in response to their requests of 27.3.20 has been sent. This correction was coordinated with the responsible public prosecutor's office.

Burma holds parliamentary by-elections on Sunday. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi fears irregularities, a fair ballot cannot be amed. Not long ago, simply saying the name of the democracy movement icon was taboo.

At first glance, the streets of bustling Rangoon are filled with the ordinary, and to Western observers, chaotic hustle and bustle of a major Asian city. Cookshops, stalls, hawkers, moneychangers and betel nut sellers dominate the scene. Much, however, in Rangoon is new and downright revolutionary for the Burmese, who have been oppressed for decades by a brutal military dictatorship and largely isolated from the outside world.

Satellite dishes are suddenly sprouting up on more and more houses; restaurants and cafes display the latest editions of international newspapers; WiFi has recently become standard in many hotels and cafes. But the clearest sign of change is the ubiquitous presence of Aung San Suu Kyi. Cab drivers have photos of the opposition leader on the dashboard of their cars; smart souvenir vendors hawk Aung San Suu Kyi keychains. Pirated copies of the film "The Lady," about the life of the Nobel Peace Prize winner by Luc Besson, are on sale on every street corner for the equivalent of about 1.70 euros.

Happy, but also unsettled
Not long ago, simply saying the name of the democracy movement icon was taboo. The Burmese are happy, but also unsettled in view of this development, which President Thein Sein initiated to the surprise of almost all observers after taking office a year ago.

Archbishop Charles Bo, president of Burma's Catholic Bishops' Conference, is one of the many Burmese who are cautious about reform policies: "The degree of freedom has already improved. But it remains to be seen how serious they are."Too often in the past decades, the generals' promises of more democracy and freedom have been broken, the people suppressed, democracy fighters imprisoned and tortured.

Aung Shwe is a young man with a warm-hearted laugh who, thanks to Buddhist meditation, does not lose his balance easily. With his umbrella stretched out to protect him from the hot sun, the 30-year-old walks to work in an engineering office in his traditional longyi, the wrap-around skirt worn by both sexes in Burma. The street is full of potholes; manhole covers are missing; the battered houses on the right and left are reminiscent of Leipzig at the end of the GDR era. "Look at this," says Aung Shwe, adding with a laugh, "It could be that they're serious about reforms. But the government has no idea what it's like at the grassroots level."

Landslide victory expected for opposition party
The headquarters of the opposition party National League for Democracy (NLD) is bustling with activity. On the first floor of the shabby building in the shadow of the Shwedagon Pagoda, helpers are packing T-shirts with the golden-yellow party logo of the fighting peacock, brochures and other campaign materials for use in the 45 constituencies that will vote on 1. April by-elections are due. The NLD, which boycotted the 2010 parliamentary elections, is contesting all constituencies. There is little doubt that the opposition party and its top candidate Aung San Suu Kyi will win by a landslide.

Apart from a few minor incidents, the election campaign has been trouble-free so far. It is the local authorities who occasionally put obstacles in the way of the NLD. "But they are quickly called to order from "above," says NLD secretary Hantha Myint. The election will not change the overwhelming parliamentary majority of Thein Sein's USDP. But the party, which is close to the military, will have to get used to a self-confident opposition.

Hantha Myint has no doubt that the NLD will be Burma's ruling party after the next regular elections in four years' time. "No one has to be afraid of us when we are in power," party leader Aung San Suu Kyi's close confidant says in English. And he does not use the "if" which expresses uncertainty, but the "when" which leaves no room for doubt.

The archdiocese of Freiburg must pay 10.8 million euros in arrears because of years of errors in the accounting of social security contributions for marginal employees. This is the result of a three-year audit of the German pension insurance scheme.

The total is made up of 6 million euros in unpaid taxes and 4.8 million euros in late payment penalties. The allegation of systematic social security fraud has been cleared by the audit, the diocese said this Tuesday.

Tax audit not yet fully completed

During the simultaneous review of the payroll tax statements of the affected parishes, no particular anomalies have been discovered so far, he said. However, the fiscal review has not yet been fully completed, according to a diocesan spokesman.

Archbishop Stephan Burger said the accounting abuses that came to light in 2017 were rightly objected to. The background to this was changes in the law on marginal employment from 1999 and 2003, which were not taken into account in the parishes or in the payroll accounting. "We have taken many measures to correct these errors and will take care to avoid such errors in the future."He apologized that the processing had taken so long because of the complexity of the procedure.

Financial damage less than feared

Thus the financial damage for the diocese budget turns out to be clearly smaller than feared so far. After the abuses came to light, the diocese formed reserves of 158 million euros, especially in the 2019 budget. This sum was considered to be the maximum limit for any additional claims and penalty payments by pension insurance and tax authorities.

Now at least 130 million euros of the provision will not be needed for back payments and will therefore be freed up again. This would result in a net profit of 67 million euros for the 2019 annual financial statements, the diocese said. This could open up financial leeway, especially in view of the expected decline in church tax revenues due to the Corona pandemic and the austerity measures that are therefore planned.

Burger said the reserves now freed up could help "compensate somewhat for expected shortfalls, so that we can continue our work in many places in the parishes and institutions". Especially during pandemic, it's important for church to accompany people, he said.

More than 1.000 marginal workers affected

At the end of October 2017, the archdiocese had made public that for years and in numerous parishes there were irregularities in the calculation of social security contributions. Accounts going back to 1999 were examined. More than 1.000 marginally employed persons for whom the parishes paid no or too little, such as janitors, sextons and organists. According to reports, it was also a matter of violations of the tax regulations for monetary payments on the basis of so-called honorary and exercise leader allowances.

According to the archdiocese, the first irregularities were discovered during a routine audit of pension insurance in a church clearinghouse. These offices take over payroll accounting for the parishes.

Parallel to the now completed investigation of the pension insurance and the tax offices, the diocese commissioned auditors internally. Here, Burger said, it has been possible to improve administrative processes and structure them more clearly.

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