German bishops

The Latest

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

The flag of Germany.

Father Weinandy: ‘If the German Synodal Way is not heading for schism, it has fooled a lot of people’

May 10, 2021

The theologian made the comment after the German bishops’ leader said the country’s Catholics were not “schismatics.” Read more

The hand of the statue of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Square, pictured Feb. 28, 2013.

German Catholic group calls on bishops to unite with Rome

May 10, 2021

The appeal came ahead a day of protest in Germany against the Vatican’s “no” to same-sex blessings. Read more

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg.

German Catholic bishops’ leader: We are not ‘schismatics’

May 6, 2021

Bishop Bätzing said the German Church remains close to Rome, despite tensions over same-sex blessings, Communion for Protestants, and the... Read more

Cardinal George Pell gives an interview to EWTN News in Rome in December 2020. Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA.

Cardinal Pell: ‘The duty of the German bishops is to uphold the teachings of Scripture’

Apr 28, 2021

By Courtney Mares

“I think that there is a percentage of the German Church that seems to be resolutely heading in the wrong... Read more

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, pictured in Rome Feb. 24, 2019.

Cardinal Marx renounces honor from German president after abuse survivors’ criticism

Apr 27, 2021

Marx asked German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier not to bestow the Federal Cross of Merit on him. Read more

German Catholic leader criticizes request to halt public worship in Holy Week

Mar 23, 2021

Germany’s leading Catholic bishop has criticized a request to halt public worship during a “hard lockdown” from Holy Thursday to... Read more

Archbishop Stefan Heße of Hamburg, Germany, makes his announcement on March 18, 2021

German Catholic archbishop offers to resign from office after abuse report findings

Mar 18, 2021

A German archbishop has announced that he is offering his resignation to Pope Francis and requesting “immediate release” from all... Read more

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne. Credit: www.ewtn.de.

‘We have finally established clarity’: an interview with Cardinal Woelki on the Gercke report

Mar 18, 2021

The full text of Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki’s interview with CNA Deutsch, following the publication of an independent report on... Read more

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki. Credit: Jochen Rolfes/Archdiocese of Cologne.

German cardinal facing calls to resign welcomes release of independent abuse report

Mar 18, 2021

A German cardinal facing calls to resign has welcomed the release of a long-awaited report on the handling of abuse... Read more

Bishop Georg Bätzing at the German bishops’ spring meeting in February 2021. Credit: Sascha Steinbach/epa pool.

Leading German Catholic bishop cautions priests against intercommunion

Mar 3, 2021

A leading German Catholic bishop has cautioned priests against intercommunion with Protestants during an ecumenical event in May.   Read more

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg.

Head of German Catholic bishops: ‘I do not deny Communion to a Protestant who asks for it’

Feb 26, 2021

The president of the German Catholic bishops’ conference said on Thursday that he would continue to give Holy Communion to... Read more

Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz. Credit: Bistum Mainz.

German Catholic bishops call for change to Catechism on homosexuality

Feb 23, 2021

A German Catholic bishop has publicly defended his support for a book of blessings and rites for homosexual unions.  Read more

Beate Gilles, the new general secretary of the German bishops’ conference. Credit: Schnelle/Deutsche Bischofskonferenz.

German bishops’ conference elects first female general secretary

Feb 23, 2021

The theologian Beate Gilles was elected general secretary of the German bishops’ conference on Monday, becoming the first woman to... Read more

Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, in Rome on Oct. 23, 2019. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Vatican cardinal clashes with German theologian over ‘Eucharistic meal fellowship’

Feb 10, 2021

A Vatican cardinal has responded to a German theologian who criticized him for opposing a proposal for a “Eucharistic meal... Read more