German Cardinal Woelki Settles Perjury Case with Charity Donation

Cardinal Rainer Woelki, a senior figure in the German Catholic Church, has agreed to pay a sum of 26,000 euros to a charity. This payment is part of a deal to settle allegations of perjury connected to a historic sexual abuse case, as revealed by prosecutors on Tuesday.

The Cardinal was under scrutiny for his testimonies concerning a deceased priest's misconduct. Cologne prosecutors identified reasonable suspicion that Woelki gave false statements during disputes with the Bild tabloid in August 2022 and March 2023. However, these misleading statements were deemed negligent rather than intentional.

In a bid to resolve the matter without pursuing criminal charges, the authorities conditioned that Woelki make the financial contribution to a charity unaffiliated with the church. The probe will be reopened if the payment is not completed by month's end. The Catholic Church in Germany continues to face challenges from past abuse cases and criticism over the mishandling by senior clergy.

(With inputs from agencies.)