The Archdiocese of Cologne has spent around 2.8 million euros on appraisers, media lawyers and communications consultants over the past three years. In contrast, the Archdiocese paid only 1.5 million euros to victims of sexual abuse – the total amount since 2010. The Archdiocese published the figures over the weekend. First the Church Tax and Economic Council was informed, then the public as well. The Archbishopric is currently led by Auxiliary Bishop Rolf Steinhäuser, while Archbishop Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki is on a break of several months until the beginning of March.
Markus Hofmann, whose office as vicar general is currently suspended, but who continues to act as head of administration in the archbishopric, was in charge of the posts in an official releaseg further from: Accordingly, the two main legal reports would have cost a total of 1.27 million euros. Woelki had come under massive criticism because he had kept a first report by the Munich law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl under lock and key because of alleged methodological deficiencies and legal issues and had commissioned a second report from Cologne criminal lawyer Björn Gercke, which was then published.
The first independent legal report by the law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl (WSW) is said to have cost 757,500 euros from church circles, according to information from the Catholic news agency. The second report from the Gercke law firm cost 516 200 euros. For further legal advice they spent 588,000 euros, said Vicar General Hoffmann. A crisis PR agency, Ewald and Rössing, also got involved in the archdiocese, receiving 820,000 euros. Ewald and Rössing spoke up shortly after the sum was published: “The main objective of our commissioning was to protect the investigation and processing process,” explained the Leipzig-based agency. “The reputation of the Archdiocese of Cologne or its officials was subordinate to this goal.”
“Media exceptional situation”
He regrets the high sums, says Markus Hoffmann, they entered new legal territory and paid “apprenticeship” for it: “That was a painful and expensive process.” He also justified the expenses for the external crisis advisors: “An exceptional media situation arose” that could no longer be handled without external help. Hoffmann said the money was not paid from church taxes, but from a special fund of the archdiocese. The recognition services for those affected were also paid from this fund, and a further six million euros have been set aside for future payments.
Matthias Katsch from the organization “Eckiger Tisch” called these sums “pathetic and unabashed”, given “a ridiculous 1.5 million euros in ten years” for the victims in the archbishopric.
This sudden transparency offensive by the Archdiocese is surprising – and it fits into the picture: For several weeks now, interim administrator Rolf Steinhäuser, who as the only incumbent auxiliary bishop was not incriminated in the Gercke report, has been looking for the public with very clear words: After the end of Woelki’s leave of absence at the beginning of March is actually “a trial period,” Steinhäuser said recently in an interview with several regional newspapers. “I should do what I can to enable the cardinal to return to work. That is the Pope’s mission,” said Steinhäuser. “I cannot say whether that is realistic. I would not accept a bet on it yet.” His mandate to pacify the diocese is a “mission impossible”.
“Can I dismiss the vicar general?”
When asked whether it was wise that Woelki’s Vicar General Hofmann was his delegate, Steinhäuser replied: “I was not free in my decision.” In Rome he “naturally asked directly: ‘Can I dismiss the vicar general?’ Not that I really wanted to, but you have to get to the point. ” The Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, said no.
In a penance service for victims of sexual abuse in mid-November, Steinhäuser also stood in Cologne Cathedral and described himself as the “head of the perpetrators’ organization Archdiocese of Cologne”. Cardinal Woelki has never heard such clear words.