Symbolic image files © Harald Oppitz (KNA)
The newspaper "Bild" had reported that Archbishop Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelki of Cologne had filed criminal charges against a priest suspected of abuse only after a four-year delay. The archdiocese now explains the facts of the case.
The course of events in the case of priest M. shaped after the evaluation of the files of the archdiocese Cologne as follows:
The Rev. M, who was born in 1943. had already been a topic of discussion since the 15.09.Retired in 2002 and has not been entrusted with any pastoral duties since then. He is on 03.01.2021 deceased.
After Cardinal Woelki set up the Intervention Unit, the relevant files were brought together and reviewed in 2015. Due to insufficient documentation, a new hearing of Rev. M. carried out in August 2016. In accordance with the guideline procedure, the case was then brought to 20. November 2016 to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has refrained from ordering ecclesiastical criminal proceedings, but has asked Cardinal Woelki to restore justice through "appropriate measures outside a criminal trial". The cardinal ied a decree on 23. March 2017, a decree that would have lifted the conditions already decided in September 2016 with respect to Fr. M. once again confirmed. Prohibited were the public exercise of priestly ministry and all situations in which minors could be exposed to his influence alone. The decree was noted by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the case was closed from the point of view of canon law.
In addition, Cardinal Woelki has ordered parish priest M. Obligated to contribute to the therapy costs of those affected.
On the criminal situation:
Not all of the charges brought by parish priest M. Situations described in April 2014 (before Cardinal Woelki's appointment) were "assaults" and/or potential criminal offenses. Thus, the last incident from 1996 was an act below the threshold of criminal liability. For this reason alone, it was not necessary to file criminal charges in all cases. Regardless of any criminal relevance, the internal prosecution and punishment of the church is to be seen. It is certain that already in 2014 all events were barred by the criminal statute of limitations.
Cardinal Woelki was at no time involved in the criminal investigation of the case.
This matter is also the subject of the Independent Investigation. Based on the findings of Professor Gercke's report, measures can be adopted to prevent sexualized violence, as the archdiocese has already been pursuing in recent years with the Coordination Office for Prevention and the Intervention Office. "We are certain that on 18. March can use precisely such cases, accurately and objectively presented, to draw further consequences," said Vicar General Dr. Markus Hofmann.