German Catholic official leads penance service on sex abuse

By DANIEL NIEMANN and KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
Associated Press

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Cologne, Germany has held a service of penance for cases of sexual abuse by clergy. The auxiliary bishop serving as the archdiocese’s interim administrator said the ritual was not intended as an absolution for the perpetrators but a “confession of guilt.” The German Catholic Church’s handling of sexual abuse reports has caused a massive crisis in Cologne. The archbishop, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, has taken a “spiritual timeout” on the advice of Pope Francis. A 71-year-old abuse survivor protested outside Cologne Cathedral instead of attending the service, saying “It is inhumane to address me with the claim of repentance.”