A carnival float depicting a sleeping Cardinal, reading '11 years of relentless processing of cases of abuse' is set in front of the Cologne Cathedral to protest against the Catholic Church in Cologne, Germany, Thursday, March 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Martin M

German archbishop offers resignation on return from timeout

Accountability
People
Mar 2, 2022

A prominent Roman Catholic archbishop who faced strong criticism for his handling of the church's sexual abuse scandal in Germany said Wednesday that he has offered his resignation to Pope Francis following a "spiritual timeout".

Pope Benedict XVI, left, who retired in 2013, speaking to Berlin's Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki, right, at a mass at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany, Jan 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Benedict woes come as German church reform pressure rises

Accountability
Vatican
Feb 9, 2022

A report on decades of clergy sexual abuse in Germany that shone an unflattering spotlight on retired Pope Benedict XVI has added to already strong pressure there for the church to reconsider Catholic rules on issues including homosexuality and women's roles.

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising gives a statement on the Munich abuse report to the media Jan. 27, 2022. (CNS photo/Sven Hoppe, pool via Reuters)

Germany's Cardinal Marx calls findings of abuse report a 'disaster' for church

Accountability
Vatican
Jan 27, 2022

The archbishop of Munich said Thursday that the Catholic church needs deep reform to overcome the "disaster" of sexual abuse.

Retired Pope Benedict faulted over abuse cases during tenure as German archbishop

Accountability
World
Jan 20, 2022

A long-awaited report on sexual abuse in Germany's Munich diocese on Jan. 20 faulted retired Pope Benedict XVI's handling of four cases when he was archbishop in the 1970s and 1980s. The law firm that drew up the report said that Benedict strongly denies any wrongdoing.