German bishops

The Latest

Archbishop Georg Gänswein was the personal secretary of the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Report: Gänswein ordered to leave Vatican, return to home diocese without new role

Jun 2, 2023

By AC Wimmer

According to a German media report, Pope Francis is following a custom where former private secretaries of deceased popes do... Read more

Pope Benedict XVI

In new book, the late Benedict XVI defends Christianity against claims of intolerance

Jan 19, 2023

By AC Wimmer

In the book, the late pontiff warns of a “radical manipulation of human beings” and “the distortion of the sexes... Read more

The visit of the German bishops to Rome in November 2022 began with a Holy Mass in the grottoes of St. Peter's Basilica.

‘Truly not an easy task’: German bishops begin talks in Rome amid Synodal Way concerns

Nov 14, 2022

By AC Wimmer

Bishop Georg Bätzing said the German bishops would “openly and honestly address” the topics of the process during their ad... Read more

Bishop Gebhard Fürst of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Germany.

Muslim and Protestant politicians receive Communion at German Catholic event

Jun 1, 2022

By CNA Staff

Organizers of the German March for Life said they were barred from having a stall. Read more

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg.

Germany’s Bishop Bätzing defends promotion of priest accused of sexual harassment

May 27, 2022

By CNA Staff

The chairman of the German bishops’ conference said he would handle the case differently today. Read more

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg.

German Catholic bishops’ leader calls for change to Catechism on sexuality

Mar 4, 2022

By CNA Staff

Bishop Georg Bätzing said: ‘Sexuality is a gift from God. And not a sin.’ Read more

Bishop Helmut Dieser, chairman of the Synodal Way forum on ‘Living in Successful Relationships,’ welcomes the #OutInChurch campaign, Jan. 24, 2022.

German Catholic bishops welcome initiative seeking change in Church teaching on sexuality

Jan 25, 2022

By CNA Staff

The campaign criticized what it said were ‘defamatory and outdated’ expressions of Catholic doctrine. Read more

Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer speaks at a press conference on June 22, 2020.

German Catholic bishop criticizes delay in Synodal Way gender-neutral language debate

Jan 12, 2022

By CNA Staff

Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer said: ‘I protest against this approach.’ Read more

Bishop Rolf Steinhäuser, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Cologne, Germany.

Canon lawyers to review abuse study contracts in Germany’s troubled Cologne archdiocese

Dec 9, 2021

By CNA Staff

The contracts relate to a landmark report released in March. Read more

Cardinal Walter Kasper.

Cardinal Kasper: Synodal Way’s ‘original sin’ was to set aside evangelization

Nov 9, 2021

By CNA Staff

The theologian said that the Synodal Way had ‘made itself a farce of a synod.’ Read more

Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg.

German Catholic bishop suggests ‘Synodal Way’ is using abuse crisis to reshape Church

Sep 30, 2021

By CNA Staff

The Synodal Way’s supreme decision-making body meets on Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Read more

Cardinal Walter Kasper.

Cardinal Kasper supports alternative ‘Synodal Way’ text

Sep 24, 2021

By CNA Staff

The influential theologian is considered to be close to Pope Francis. Read more

Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg, southern Germany.

German Catholic bishop proposes alternative ‘Synodal Way’ text

Sep 3, 2021

By CNA Staff

Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer presented the text on a new website. Read more

Cardinal Reinhard Marx.

Cardinal Marx won’t rule out offering resignation for a 2nd time

Jul 27, 2021

By CNA Staff

Pope Francis declined the archbishop of Munich and Freising’s resignation in June. Read more

Fr. Andreas Wollbold, a professor at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany.

Theologian: Germany’s practicing Catholics need more encouragement

Jul 12, 2021

By CNA Staff

“They are the avant-garde, and not the last of the Mohicans,” said Fr. Andreas Wollbold. Read more

Thomas Sternberg, president of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), speaks at a ‘Synodal Way’ press conference.

The German Synodal Way: A CNA explainer 

Jun 14, 2021

By CNA Staff

The “Synodal Way” – in German: Synodaler Weg – is a controversial discussion process underway in Germany with the declared... Read more

Archbishop Samuel Aquila (L) delivers brief remarks during the funeral Mass for Boulder police officer Eric Talley on March 29, 2021, in Denver, Colorado.

Archbishop Aquila: My letter on ‘Synodal Way’ is a call to conversion, not division

May 28, 2021

Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver expounded on his recent open letter on the German bishops’ “Synodal Way,” in an interview... Read more

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco

Archbishop Cordileone supports Archbishop Aquila’s call for repentance for German synodal path

May 27, 2021

The Archbishop of San Francisco has publicly supported Archbishop Aquila’s response to the German bishops’ “synodal path.” Read more

Bishop Georg Bätzing, chairman of the German bishops’ conference.

German Catholic bishops’ leader: ‘Synodal Way’ and Rome synod have ‘common goal’

May 21, 2021

Bishop Georg Bätzing welcomed the new global “process” for the synod on synodality. Read more

Stock photo.

Parents detect disgraced sexologist’s theories in German Church’s abuse commission report

May 18, 2021

A parents’ association claimed that text contained theories linked to psychologist Helmut Kentler. Read more