Bishop Richard Williamson denies aspects of the Holocaust

Seeing a story like this really makes me sick. How can someone in a position of power in the church do something so short sighted and ignorant. He is in a position where many people respect him and listen to what he has to say. If he was some bum on a street corner saying things like this it would be frustrating but the fact that it is a respectable person saying things like this is the most irritating aspect of the story. Someone with an education and one would hope an understanding of a peaceful ways should have more common sense than to be so blatantly irresponsible.
The exact statement that the Bishop made had to do with him not believing the fact that Hitler intended to kill the Jews and the fact that there were most likely no gas chamber usage at Auschwitz concentration camp. He is being prosecuted in Germany where Holocaust denial is a crime and can lead to jail time. He went on to apologize for the comments that he made and that is what I want to go further into, when an apology is legitimate and when it is being used just to try and save face.
In this case I feel the apology is being used to save face and hopefully keep himself a position in the clergy. When someone makes a comment so blatant and harsh for example, him not believing that any gas chambers were used at Auschwitz a person is showing their true colors. If someone has a slip up and says or does something irresponsible that is not as blatant their apologies can be quite legitimate. An example of a legitimate apology is if you are hanging out with a few friends and someone tells an off color joke that hits a nerve with someone. If this person realizes what just happened and issues an apology on the spot to you I feel it is legitimate based on the timeliness of the apology and the fact that they are able to grasp the fact that they may have hurt someone and want to do something about it.