German priests go public giving Communion to divorced and remarried

Over 172 German priests and deacons in the Archdiocese of Freiburg have openly stated they regularly give communion to divorced and remarried couples.

“In our communities, remarried divorcees take communion and receive the sacraments of reconciliation and the anointing of the sick, with our approval,” the priests say on their website.

Calling their actions a ‘balancing-act’, the priests say they are aware they are violating the rules of the church, but they are taking account of the real-life conscious decisions made by individuals.

The priests don’t want to have to continue the ‘balancing-act’. As a matter of urgency they are urging the Church to consider the delicacy of the situation and hope that it will change its attitude and practice to divorced and remarried people.

“With our signature, we declare that in our pastoral activity regarding remarried divorcees, we are allowing ourselves to be guided by mercy,” the priests say.

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