{"id":55731,"date":"2022-02-07T04:01:57","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T09:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/top-german-bishop-doubts-fresh-start-after-abuse-crisis-2\/"},"modified":"2022-02-07T04:01:57","modified_gmt":"2022-02-07T09:01:57","slug":"top-german-bishop-doubts-fresh-start-after-abuse-crisis-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/top-german-bishop-doubts-fresh-start-after-abuse-crisis-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Top German bishop doubts \u2018fresh start\u2019 after abuse crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
BERLIN \u2014 The head of the German Bishops\u2019 Conference expressed doubts Saturday that the planned return of Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki as archbishop of Cologne following a \u201cspiritual timeout\u201d will help the diocese overcome a crisis sparked by the church\u2019s handling of sex abuse allegations.<\/p>\n
Bishop Georg Baetzing, who chairs the Bishops\u2019 Conference, expressed concerns \u201cwhether a real fresh start can happen there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s needed to overcome the crisis that occurred there,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis last year granted Woelki leave until early March after criticism over his decision not to publish an independent report into allegations of sexual abuse in the church.<\/p>\n
Baetzing spoke at the end of a meeting of the synodal gathering of German Catholics, which also discussed reforms that could lead to women performing sacraments in the future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n