Archdiocese of Cologne releases Pastor Zöller: investigations are underway!

Archdiocese of Cologne releases Pastor Zöller: investigations are underway!

What moves the parish in Friesenhagen? Tobias Zöller, who has been the community's popular pastor for around twelve years, has been out of office since June 30th. The press office of the Archdiocese of Cologne confirmed his release, which became necessary as a result of ongoing police investigations. Details of the allegations are not yet known. However, the presumption of innocence applies, while neither the police nor the diocese comment on the reasons. Zöller renounced the pastor's position on his own initiative and his application was accepted by Archbishop Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelki.

In a message published during church services on July 12th and 13th, Zöller's release from duties was announced to the approximately 18,000 Christians in the nine communities of the Morsbach, Friesenhagen and Wildbergerhütte parishes. Archbishop Woelki appointed Chaplain Markus Brandt as parish administrator. Zöller's exemption came at his own request, but he criticized the archdiocese's information policy because the communication did not make this clear.

Investigations and backgrounds

The investigation, which is also supported by the Cologne public prosecutor's office, concerns customs officers and, according to initial assumptions, may be connected to illegal crypto transactions or cybercrime. However, it is emphasized that the investigation has nothing to do with sexual abuse, which Zöller made clear. Morsbach's mayor Jörg Bukowski was critical of the archdiocese's information policy and called for transparency regarding the processes.

Chaplain Markus Brandt is temporarily taking responsibility for the communities in Oberberg-Süd while the allegations are clarified. The situation remains tense, especially given that Zöller is tasked with founding a new parish, St. Michael and St. Gertrud Oberberg-Süd, which is scheduled to open its doors in January 2026.

The church is changing

The developments surrounding Zöller are not only locally important, but also reflect a larger crisis in the church. Historians like Prof. Dr. Klaus Unterburger from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich draws parallels to crises in the 19th century in which the structure of the church was shaken. While the religious practices of the population remained largely constant, the leadership structures were affected by profound changes. This is not surprising, given the ever-increasing number of people leaving the church and the increasing scandals within the institution.

The situation in the Church today is characterized by polarization among the bishops and leadership, as well as debates on issues such as sexual morality and gender justice. The challenges facing the church are diverse and range from the fast-moving changes in society to the credibility problems of its officials.

In the past, many Catholics had a deeper bond with the Church, but today the question arises as to how the credibility and authority of church officials can be maintained in the long term. Tobias Zöller's situation is therefore not just a case for the police, but is symptomatic of an institution that is looking for new answers in times of great change.

The coming months will show how the situation surrounding Tobias Zöller will develop. Until then, it remains to be seen whether and in what form he will be able to return to priestly service at some point.

For further information on the investigation and the current situation in Friesenhagen, please see Siegen newspaper and Review online. Also Cathedral radio provides interesting insights into the broad social debates that currently accompany the church.