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After the penance service in front of the cathedral, Rolf Steinhäuser said: "Confession of guilt, memory of those affected, intercession"
Photo: Henning Kaiser / dpa
In a penance service in Cologne Cathedral, the apostolic administrator Rolf Steinhäuser announced the failure of the church in sexual abuse by clergy.
"A large number of crimes of sexual violence have been committed against wards by priests and other church workers in our diocese," said the auxiliary bishop in the service.
As the current head of the Archdiocese, he is "head of the perpetrators' organization Archdiocese of Cologne."
Steinhäuser is representing Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, who is on a break of several months.
The archbishopric has been in a crisis since Woelki decided in 2020 not to publish an opinion on how those responsible for the diocese deal with allegations of abuse for the time being.
Pope Francis then had the situation in the Archdiocese investigated by two authorized representatives and came to the conclusion that Woelki had made "serious mistakes" in communication, but was allowed to remain in office.
He could not apologize for the perpetrators, but also did not want to hold the believers in joint liability, said Steinhäuser.
"This service doesn't end with forgiveness," he said.
“We cannot graduate ourselves.
We also don't ask forgiveness from those affected so that we can get better. ”The service is rather“ confession of guilt, memory of those affected, intercession ”.
The Victims' Advisory Board, in which victims of church abuse are organized, helped to organize the non-public service.
More than 100 first names of those affected were read out, for whom candles were then lit - plus a large candle for unnamed victims.
In a modified “Our Father” prayer it said: “Our Father, where have you been when the abuse hit us?
Why didn't you hear and protect us when we were driven through this hell? "
It was important to the Advisory Board for those affected that the consequences of the abuse for the victims were visible in the service, said spokesman Peter Bringmann-Henselder afterwards.
"The guilt of those responsible and perpetrators had to be clearly discussed." The Advisory Board wanted November 18 as the date, as this was the "European Day for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse".
During the service, members of the Maria 2.0 initiative protested in front of the cathedral.
In advance, some of those affected criticized the form and timing of the event.
"The actual perpetrators, who hit their fists in the chest and have to pay penance, are not there," said Patrick Bauer, a former member of the advisory board of the dpa news agency.
It is also incomprehensible that the service takes place in Woelki's absence, of all places.
“If you ask yourself now, why not say a word about the cardinal?
Quite simply: Because he's not there, ”said Steinhäuser in his sermon.
"I'm not going to blame him or try to excuse him."
ptz / dpa
