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
An open debate on women’s ordination in the Catholic Church is necessary, says Hamburg’s archbishop, Stefan Hesse. “One has to be permitted to think about and discuss the issue.” Hesse says “Ordinatio sacerdotalis,” John Paul II’s 1994 letter stating the church cannot ordain women as priests, was positioned as a response to those who considered Read more
German prelates have reacted strongly to the new Vatican parish instruction. Released last week by the Congregation for the Clergy, the instruction has seen many bishops react with anger and contempt. Only Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne is defending the instruction, while Cardinal Walter Kasper is steering a middle way. The German Bishops’ Conference Read more
Catholic women in Germany increased their demand for more sway in the Church, as a new leader of the Catholic Church in Germany was being elected this week. Women’s rights advocates presented the German Bishops Conference with a petition with over 130,000 signatures calling for more women in leadership roles. Dozens of women also gathered Read more
The German bishops’ conference has elected Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg as its new chairman. Bätzing replaces the outgoing chairman, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Münich and Freising, and will lead the conference for a six year term. The election of Bishop Bätzing was confirmed Tuesday, following a vote by the German bishops at their spring Read more
German bishops are looking for ways to halt the massive exodus from the Church in Germany caused by the clerical abuse crisis. The bishops’ conference launched a two-year “synodal procedure” for church reform last weekend, on the first Sunday of Advent. Working together with the lay Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), special synodal candles Read more
A letter to the German bishops from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith says Pope Francis has asked the German Catholic bishops’ conference not to publish nationwide guidelines for allowing Protestants married to Catholics to receive Communion at Mass. The letter signed by Congregation’s prefect, Cardinal-designate Luis Ladaria, says Pope Francis has concluded Read more