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