Archdiocese of Cologne in crisis

Cologne Vicar General hopes for Pope's support for Cardinal Woelki

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A decision on the future of Cardinal Woelki is still pending. According to Guido Assmann, many people would be grateful "if the Pope would make a statement at all". The new Vicar General also speaks out on the Cologne University of Theology.

The new Vicar General of Cologne, Guido Assmann, believes that Pope Francis should make a decision soon on the future of Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki. 

"I believe that many people would already be grateful if the Pope would make a statement at all," the head of the diocesan administration, who has been in office since July, told the "Rheinische Post" (Tuesday): "If he were to assign to the Archbishop another, new task, that would also be a statement."

In the Archdiocese of Cologne, among other things, the process dealing with sexual abuse allegations has led to a major crisis of confidence. After being asked to do so by the Pope,  Cardinal Woelki offered him his resignation a few months ago but Francis has not yet decided on this. On his flight to Canada on Sunday, the Pope said such a decision could not be made under pressure: "We'll see." There is also criticism of Woelki because the financing of the Cologne College of Catholic Theology (KHKT), which he supports, is unresolved.

Assmann stressed that he had not taken up the new office with the idea that he would only be in office for a while. He said he did not want to be hampered by the pending decision on Woelki's offering of resignation. "If I may not be able to do this role for a long time then, someone else will do it," the cleric said. "Bishops come and go, the fate of the Church must not depend on that." If an Archbishop loses his office, the Vicar General must also go.

Clarification whether the KHKT is economically viable

Assmann believes his role as Vicar General is compatible with his role as head of the cathedral chapter, which is supposed to be a supervisory body for the Archbishop. The Vicar General has neither advisory nor voting rights in the Cathedral Chapter: "He only receives the advice of that body." But whether the Vicar General would also have to be the Cathedral Dean in the long run "remains to be seen and needs to be examined".

Assmann said that the KHKT was the successor to the Steyler Missionary College, which had existed for 50 years. This had been one of several endangered universities in North Rhine-Westphalia. "In this situation, the decision was made to take over the University with a foundation." Now it has to be clarified "whether the foundation can raise the necessary money or whether the University will not be commercially sustainable in this way". This decision will be made sooner or later, he said: "So the offer is not new, nor is there any guarantee that this University will continue to operate in the future." The University of Bonn had recently underlined its claim to be the sole training location for Cologne's priests.

With regard to the reform dialogue Synodal Path of the Catholic Church in Germany, Assmann warned against "a further division of the church and irreconcilable positions". It is true that the many local churches have to see how they can assist the people in their area to live their faith in joy and to help people in need. At the same time, however, it is also important to look at the Universal Church and to listen to what others say and think.