Status: 05/03/2022 1:53 p.m
An expert opinion on how diocese officials deal with sexual abuse – and the whole thing is financed from a fund that is intended to compensate victims. According to the Vatican, however, this is in order according to canon law.
The Vatican has fully backed Cologne Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki on a controversial financial issue. It was about the financing of two expert reports on how diocese officials deal with allegations of sexual abuse against priests and about communication advice.
The costs totaled 2.8 million euros, of which 820,000 euros went to PR advice. Woelki had taken the money from a special fund that does not come from church tax funds. The money that the Archdiocese of Cologne pays out to victims of sexual abuse also comes from this fund.
Examination commissioned during downtime
During Woelki’s break, which lasted from October to the beginning of March, interim manager Rolf Steinhäuser had the awarding of the orders checked by two canon lawyers. There was a suspicion that the property council and the cathedral chapter had not been involved in the expenditure in accordance with the rules of canon law.
Full backing from the Vatican
The head of the Vatican Bishops’ Congregation, Marc Ouellet, has now confirmed in a letter to Woelki that his actions were completely in order. Woelki is authorized “to freely dispose of the funds’ funds,” said Ouellet in a letter that journalists have now been able to see. “Since there is consequently no crime, there is no reason for canonical consequences,” said Ouellet, who is considered one of the most powerful men in the Vatican.
Woelki was relieved and spoke of “good news” from Rome. He expressed the hope that this would “help calm things down a little in our archdiocese”.