Archdiocese of Cologne: Vicar General resigns – Rhineland – News
Markus Hofmann is already the second Vicar General that Cardinal Woelki has replaced during his term of office. The Archdiocese announces that in future the administrative tasks in Germany’s diocese, which has the largest number of members, will be divided into three clearly separate business areas: pastoral care, finance and administration. In addition, the position of a head of administration should be introduced in the future. This task was previously the responsibility of the vicar general. Hofmann has not been considered an expert in economic contexts and administrative issues and has now publicly admitted this with his resignation.
Reasons for termination not yet clear
Whether the departure of the vicar general might have something to do with the fact that examiners in the archdiocese encountered an unusual contract in the area of foundations, the archdiocese did not want to comment today at the request of WDR. Without giving specific background information, the church reports that the contract is of considerable economic importance. However, it was not accounted for either by the foundation or by the archdiocese. The Archdiocese did not want to say what exactly the contract regulates, even when asked.
Woelki wants to arrange a successor by the summer
Cardinal Woelki will fill the important position of Vicar General by the summer. However, it is not certain whether Cardinal Woelki will still be in office in the summer. He offered the pope to resign after returning to office after a five-month hiatus. However, the Pope has not yet decided whether he wants to stick with Woelki. Many believers in the archdiocese accuse him of having failed in the abuse scandal in the archdiocese of Cologne. His advisory board, the Diocesan Pastoral Council, is meeting this weekend in Düsseldorf. Among other things, the question is whether priests and laypeople want to give Cardinal Woelki a second chance. Woelki had asked for it himself when he returned.