Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – The regional bishop of the Evangelical Church in Württemberg, Ernst-Wilhelm Gohl, suggested that Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne should resign. Gohl told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (Friday): “It’s not my place to dictate something to the cardinal. But if you’ve lost trust like that, you should take the consequences to prevent a further loss of trust in the church.”
Critics repeatedly accuse the Catholic Church of mistakes in dealing with cases of abuse and attempts to cover it up. Woelki has long been criticized for dealing with cases of abuse. He rejects the allegations of the ongoing investigations for false affidavit. Pope Francis ordered the man from Cologne to take a break of several months last year. A resignation request Woelkis is with the pontiff in Rome, which he could accept at any time.
The state bishop of Württemberg sees the effects of the cases in the Catholic Church on the Protestant Church. Gohl further told the newspaper: “We are clearly held jointly liable. The number of people leaving the Evangelical Church in the Cologne area are significantly higher than elsewhere.” This clearly has something to do with the conditions in the archdiocese there. “I would like the Catholic Church to ask itself how to proceed with Cardinal Woelki. This is where trust in both churches is being destroyed.”
