A leading German bishop has labelled new church statistics as alarming.
Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, chair of the German Bishops’ Conference, stated “The figures show that the church is in a comprehensive crisis”.
The statistics revealed a significant drop in Catholic Church membership. Approximately 403,000 Catholics left the church last year, reducing the total to 20.3 million by the end of 2023, down from 20.94 million the previous year.
Bätzing warned that resignation or fear are not the right responses. He emphasised the church’s enduring mission to “proclaim the good news of the loving, creative and liberating God”.
The bishop urged immediate church reforms, arguing that while they alone would not solve the crisis, the situation would deteriorate without them. “People still have high expectations of the church, particularly in social and educational sectors” he noted.
He emphasised the importance of aligning church priorities with people’s real lives, particularly focusing on young people and their families.
Devastating abuse crisis
A total of 1,779,014 people have left the Church in Germany since 2019 in the wake of the devastating abuse crisis. Coincidentally, that was the same year that the Synodal Way was launched,
According to the bishops’ conference figures, there were 20.3 million Catholics in Germany at the end of 2023. That figure represents 24 % of the total population of 84.7 million.
To leave the Church formally in Germany, baptised Catholics must book an appointment at a local registry office or court, provide official documents and pay a fee. They are given a certificate confirming they are no longer registered and therefore not liable for the country’s church tax.
They also receive a letter from local Church officials informing them they can no longer receive the sacraments, hold Church posts or serve as baptismal or confirmation sponsors.
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