the archbishopric of Coloniawhich has already been the target of criticism for its handling of sexual abuse inside of Catholic Churchis now threatened by a scandal following it is known that he diverted funds to pay the gambling debts of a priest, worth half a million euros.
According to local media, the money used came from funds intended to compensate victims of abuse.
“60 percent of abuse victims receive less than 20,000 euros. Victims who do not have a fixed income, unlike a priest, have to be content with less than 10 percent of what the church spends to resolve a situation of a priest of which he himself is guilty”. the victim’s representative told the daily “Kölner Stadt Anzeiger”.
The debts, according to the archbishopric, were paid in several installments to help the priest in his difficult situation.
Collection
The archbishopric has recognized that the cost of the aid has amounted to more than one million euros, because the payments also generated tax obligations that, not being covered at the time, exceeded, with interest, 600,000 euros.
The scandals of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church and the handling that has been given to them by some bishops have led to an acceleration of the loss of faithful.
EFE
