Voluntary celibacy or marriage – the call for priests to be able to choose which state they prefer is growing stronger in Germany. German bishops’ conference president Bishop Georg Bätzing (pictured) and Archbishop Ludwig Schick have added their support to Cardinal Reinhard Marx who spoke strongly in favour of voluntary celibacy at the beginning of Read more
The German “Synodal Way,” conference has approved a draft document that appears to be at odds with Catholic teaching on sexual morality. Called “Living in Successful Relationships – Living Love in Sexuality and Partnership,” Vatican News says the draft document clearly rejects “conversion therapies for homosexuals”, pleads on behalf of “homosexual partnerships and remarried divorcees Read more
Against the background of lay Catholics’ anger about a Vatican decision not to censure Cologne clergy for mishandling abuse cases, German Catholics — bishops, clergy and laity — gathered in Frankfurt for the start of the three-day Synodal Path Assembly. But before discussions began on the agenda, the leadership decided to allow an hour to Read more
Many German Catholics have been left bewildered by Pope Francis’ decision to confirm Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki as Cardinal Archbishop of Cologne. Francis has also granted Woelki several months to reflect on the events that led him to offer the pontiff his resignation. The reaction of German conference president, Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, to Read more
Pope Francis has encouraged the German bishops to continue on the Synodal Path and to discuss the questions openly and honestly. Francis also wants the German church to come to recommendations for a change in the church’s actions says Bishops Conference president Georg Bätzing. In return Francis received personal assurances from the German bishops’ conference Read more
Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German bishops’ conference, defended the plan for “ecumenically mindful” reception of Communion in Catholic and Protestant services during Germany’s ecumenical congress May 13-16. The bishop told KNA, Germany’s Catholic news agency, May 11 that the services planned May 15 were not about “cross-denominational Communion in the sense of a general mutual Read more
German Catholics are not seeking to “detach ourselves as the German national Church from Rome,” and there is no risk of schism, according to the chairman of the German Catholic bishops’ conference. Even as Catholics in Germany plan a national protest against the Vatican’s ban on blessing on same-sex couples, Bishop Georg Bätzing has insisted Read more
A mass same-sex blessing across 56 cities in Germany has been labelled “not helpful”. The president of the German Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing, has criticized the upcoming Catholic-backed initiative saying blessings should not be used as a political statement. The blessing service initiative was organised immediately after the Vatican formally said no to same-sex Read more
The German bishops’ conference president has criticised Vatican officials who regard the German Church’s reform dialogue as “too Protestant” and threatening to church unity. “For many Vatican officials, the German Catholic Church smells Protestant,” Bishop Georg Bätzing said in an online round table discussion. This did not apply “to top level Vatican officials like prefects Read more
A leading German Catholic bishop responded to the Vatican’s rejection of blessings for same-sex couples on Monday by saying that there were “no easy answers” to the issue. Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German bishops’ conference commented March 15 after the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) clarified that the Catholic Read more