Cardinal Müller sees no reason at all for Cardinal Woelki to resign

 "I don't see the slightest reason why Cardinal Woelki would have to resign"

Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, the former prefect of Rome's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has criticised Pope Francis' treatment of Cologne Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki. "I do not see the slightest reason why Cardinal Woelki should resign," Müller said in Rome. There was absolutely no evidence against Woelki, he was merely the victim of defamation campaigns, Müller said.

Pope Francis had said last Sunday that he wanted to take his time with his decision on Woelki. "Let's see. You don't make a decision like that under pressure," said the 85-year-old head of the Catholic Church. In June, Francis had said in an interview that he had asked Woelki to submit a letter of resignation to him. This was now before him and he could decide on it at any time. The background was the "turbulent situation" in the Archdiocese of Cologne.

Müller sharply criticised this state of limbo. "This gives the impression that the bishops are only pawns that the Pope can move around at will. Yet the bishops are actually appointed by Christ, equal in rank to the Pope in the episcopate. The Pope is not the boss, the employer of the bishops. He can only dismiss a bishop in extreme cases, such as when he is guilty of serious breaches of his official duties."

Pope Francis had accused Woelki of "major errors" last year, especially in his communication, and sent him on a five-month sabbatical. Previously, Woelki had come under criticism, among other things, because he had initially not published an expert opinion on the handling of abuse allegations by diocesan officials due to legal concerns.

Source