The German synodal journey enters a new phaseIn order to understand the Pope's response to Cardinal MarxCardinal Woelki of Cologne exonerated by independent opinionWith a communiqué from the Apostolic Nunciature in Germany, reproduced by the German Bishops' Conference and dated September 15, it was made known that Pope Francis has not accepted the resignation of Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg.
Prior to his appointment as Archbishop of Hamburg in January 2015, Msgr. Hesse - born in Cologne in 1966 - had been in charge of the Personnel department of the diocese of Cologne from 2006 to 2012; he then served as Vicar General from 2012 to 2015. In the period of vacant see of the diocese - between the resignation of Cardinal Meisner in February 2014 and the appointment of Cardinal Woelki in September of the same year - he was the Diocesan Administrator, elected by the Cathedral Chapter of Cologne.
It is precisely in connection with his positions in the Diocese of Cologne - and not for his ministry as pastor of the Diocese of Hamburg - that Bishop Hesse submitted his resignation to the Holy Father: on March 18, a law firm presented an expert report on sexual abuse in the Diocese of Cologne. The fundamental question for that report centered on whether the ecclesiastical authority - in the period between 1975 and 2018 - reacted adequately when possible sexual abuse of minors or entrusted persons (e.g. in residences) was reported, in accordance with the norms in force in each case. The expert opinion exonerated Cardinal Woelki, but left the actions of some ecclesiastical leaders in question; for that reason, the Cardinal relieved auxiliary bishop Dominik Schwaderlapp and judicial vicar Günter Assenmacher of their posts; the following day both another auxiliary bishop of Cologne, Ansgar Puff, and Msgr. Stefan Hesse tendered their resignations.
On March 27, at Hesse's request, the Pope granted his "request to withdraw provisionally from the direction of the diocese". Bishop Hesse retired to a convent; the direction of the diocese was assumed provisionally by Vicar General Ansgar Thim.
In the above-mentioned communiqué, reference is made to the fact that "Bishop Hesse's actions were discussed in the context of the Apostolic Visitation of the Archbishopric of Cologne, held from June 7-14, 2021 by Cardinal Anders Arborelius, Bishop of Stockholm, and Bishop Johannes van den Hende, Bishop of Rotterdam."
The communiqué goes on to say: "After a careful examination of the documents received, the Holy See has ascertained that during the period in question there were errors in the organization and working methods of the General Vicariate of the Archbishopric, as well as personal procedural errors on the part of Archbishop Hesse. However, the investigation has not shown that these were committed with the intention of covering up cases of sexual abuse. The basic problem, in the broader context of the administration of the archdiocese, was a lack of attention and sensitivity to those affected by abuse."
In the last paragraph, the letter communicates the Pope's decision: "Considering that the Archbishop has humbly acknowledged the mistakes he made in the past and that he made his office available, the Holy Father, after considering the evaluations that have reached him through the visitators and the dicasteries of the Roman Curia involved, has decided not to accept the resignation of Msgr. Hesse, but asks him to continue his mission as Archbishop of Hamburg in a spirit of reconciliation and service to God and to the faithful entrusted to his pastoral care. To this end, the Holy Father invokes God's blessing on Archbishop Hesse and the Archdiocese of Hamburg, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Ansgar".
In a letter addressed to the faithful of the Archdiocese, Bishop Hesse thanked the Holy Father for "his clear decision and the trust he has placed in me. At the same time, he announced that he is taking up again - "at the express will of the Pope" - his functions; but he acknowledged: "I am fully aware that it will not be easy".
Bishop Hesse assures that "it will be necessary to start over" and that he will do "everything in my power to respond to the challenges that present themselves. To concretize how this new beginning will be, "I will first consult with the members of different commissions and people of the archdiocese. In an open conversation we will share disappointments and doubts, but also hopes and expectations for a good future". In concrete terms, Bishop Hesse announces that in these conversations, consultations and decisions for the future "the criterion for our action will be the overcoming of sexual violence; my and our efforts will be directed towards doing more and more justice to those affected by sexual violence and their painful experiences".
For his part, the President of the Bishops' Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing, has issued a statement that reads: "The Pope's decision made public today puts an end to a difficult period of uncertainty for the Archdiocese of Hamburg and for Archbishop Stefan Hesse. That is good and I am grateful for it. Archbishop Hesse will remain in Hamburg and thus remain a member of the German Bishops' Conference. I wish the archdiocese and its archbishop a good new start in joint responsibility, carried by mutual trust. Much of what had to be left undone in the last six months can now be tackled with renewed vigor. To all those who may now feel confused, I ask them to trust that the Pope has made a well-considered and well-founded decision on the basis of consultation."
