In a video published on the archdiocese's website on Saturday, he recalls a letter on the church reform debate that Pope Francis sent to Catholics in Germany exactly five years ago.
"Let's be honest: who has actually read this letter?" asks Woelki.
The Pope has repeatedly emphasised how important this letter is to him.
On 29 June 2019, Pope Francis wrote a letter "to the pilgrim people of God in Germany".
In it, he referred to the Synodal Way reform process, which was still being planned at the time and has since been completed.
On the one hand, Francis praised the commitment and reform efforts of German Catholics. At the same time, he urged unity with the universal Church. The letter caused quite a stir within the Church.
Both supporters and opponents of the "synodal path", including Woelki, felt vindicated by the letter.
Woelki: No other nation has received such a letter from the Pope
The reform proposals of the Synodal Path continue to cause controversy between German Catholics and Pope Francis to this day.
Only on Friday, several German bishops were in the Vatican for talks.
Woelki said that with the letter, the Pope was inviting people to evangelise, which in his eyes constitutes the actual and essential mission of the Church.
"I think so: We should fulfil his so urgently expressed wish - for our own sake, but also for the sake of the Church in Germany. Because only then will it have a future."
According to Woelki, the Pope spent a month writing the letter.
"In his own hand in free hours. It was so important to him to stand by the Church in Germany in one of its darkest hours, to interpret the signs of the times for us, to give us orientation in this turning point. He wanted to reach out to us and guide us through this valley - as befits the successor of Peter. No other nation has received such a historic letter from him," said the Cardinal.