The Archdiocese of Cologne is struggling with a new record number of church exits. Based on surveys by the Cologne District Court, it is to be expected that a total of around 50 000 Catholics will leave their church by the end of the year.
The regional Germany daily, the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reported that in the previous record year of 2019, there were 24 298 cases.
The estimate is based on the 15 339 departures registered so far for the city of Cologne in the first three quarters of the year and the 3000 appointments booked in the months of October to December. There are also hundreds of notarized exit declarations.
The Cologne city dean Robert Kleine said that there were similar developments in other dioceses. Against the background of the sex abuse scandal in Cologne, bishops said that the entire Church in Germany would be held jointly liable for the conditions in Cologne.
The pro-immigration Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki from Cologne is said to have promoted a priest although he knew of his misdeeds. Woelki is taking a break from October to March “at his own request”.
On 23 March 2021, a week after the damning sex abuse report’s release, Woelki refused to resign saying “such a resignation would only be a short-lived symbol.” When Cardinal Reinhard Marx offered his resignation in June citing the sex abuse scandals, his action was seen as a criticism of Woelki’s refusal to resign.
https://freewestmedia.com/2021/11/08/cologne-archdiocese-expects-record-number-of-church-departures/