Cologne’s Archbishop Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, shortly after his return to office, remains in the second row for the time being. The spokesman for the German Bishops’ Conference, Matthias Kopp, said he would take part in the spring plenary assembly of the German bishops next week Süddeutsche Zeitung. Woelki will not hold early mass on Wednesday. “This will be celebrated by the deputy chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Franz-Josef Bode,” said Kopp.
Starting next Monday, the bishops will meet for four days in the Upper Franconian place of pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of Bamberg. Mass on Wednesday morning would actually be reserved for Cardinal Woelki. At the bishops’ meetings, which take place twice a year, the two cardinals traditionally hold one of the four services each. Munich Archbishop Cardinal Reinhard Marx celebrates the service on Tuesday. The opening service on Monday evening will be held by the chairman of the bishops’ conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg. So far, no preacher has been announced for the Wednesday service. The final service will be held by this year’s host bishop, Bamberg’s Archbishop Ludwig Schick.
Woelki resumed his duties as Archbishop of Cologne on Ash Wednesday, but at the same time announced that he had offered Pope Francis his resignation. Francis still wants to decide. Woelki took a five-month break after Pope Francis accused him of serious communication errors. Woelki had initially kept a first report on the processing of sexual abuse in the diocese under lock and key and cited legal reasons, thus triggering a deep crisis of confidence in the archdiocese that continues to this day. A second report could not solve the crisis of confidence. His return was also met with sharp criticism, all the main bodies of the archdiocese had spoken out against further cooperation with Woelki.