Retired German archbishop gives up honor after abuse report

BERLIN (AP) — A former head of the Catholic German Bishops’ Conference is giving up the country’s highest honor following scathing criticism this week of his handling of clergy abuse cases during his tenure as archbishop of Freiburg and as a personnel officer in the diocese. A spokesperson for Robert Zollitsch said Friday that the 84-year-old informed Germany’s president that he is handing back the Order of Merit, which was bestowed on him in 2014. An independent report commissioned by the Freiburg archdiocese on the church’s handling of abuse cases over decades was presented on Tuesday. One of its authors said Zollitsch completely ignored canon law in connection with abuse cases.