Catholic Church: Commission: After the Cologne ruling, an increase in cases

A newly introduced objection solution and a ruling by the Cologne Regional Court have brought a significant increase in proceedings to the Independent Commission for Recognition Achievements (UKA) of the German Bishops’ Conference.

Last year there were 1,289 new entrances, as the chairwoman of the commission, Margarete Reske, reported at the presentation of the activity report in Bonn. Only in the first year of 2021 were there more cases submitted, 1,578, including new applications for compensation payments or objections from those affected by sexual violence in the Catholic Church. In 2022 the number was significantly lower at 626.

Lots of contradictions

Since March 1, 2023, those affected have been able to object to cases that have already been decided without giving reasons. And in connection with a judgment from Cologne, in which the regional court awarded a victim from the Archdiocese of Cologne 300,000 euros in compensation for the first time, many of those affected would also make use of this, said the former presiding judge at the Higher Regional Court, Reske.

In recent years, several courts have set new standards with decisions on higher compensation payments. Reske also pointed out that the UKA had already awarded over 100,000 euros in compensation for pain and suffering for the first time in February 2021. For decisions over 50,000 euros, the committees in the affected dioceses still have to agree to the payment in recognition of the suffering.

The total amount of compensation awarded has increased since 2021

“We have to be aware that the UAK is a learning system. We look at developments in case law and then implement them. This leads to equal treatment of all those affected,” said the deputy chairman of the UKA and former presiding judge at the Federal Social Court, Ernst Hauck .

According to Hauck, only taking the significantly increased average values ​​as an assessment leads to distortions. There were four cases nationwide last year with sums comparable to those in the Cologne judgment. Since 2021, the total amount of compensation awarded has increased from the original 50.9 million euros to 56.9 million euros due to the changed valuation.

“Not everyone who has lodged an objection will get more,” said the chairwoman. A blanket increase therefore does not make sense. “We’re talking about individual decisions here,” said her deputy at the introduction. In 2023, the Commission made 762 individual decisions on the recognition of a total of 16.1 million euros in 47 meetings.