German bishops

The Latest

Cologne Cathedral.

German bishop accused of taking $140,000 from elderly woman's account

Dec 9, 2019

Bishop Johannes Bündgens has been charged by prosecutors with taking more than $140,000 from an elderly woman’s account.  Read more

Cardinal Reinhard Marx at the German Bishops' Press Conference at the Pontifical Teutonic College on October 5, 2015.

Cardinal Marx holds 'constructive dialogue' with Pope Francis on synodal plans

Sep 20, 2019

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, president of the German Episcopal Conference, has held talks with Pope Francis and Cardinal Marc Ouellet about German plans... Read more

Pope Francis meets with German bishops during their ad limina visit Nov. 20, 2015.

Pope Francis tells German Catholics to focus on evangelization

Jun 29, 2019

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis sent a 28-page letter to Catholics in Germany Saturday calling for a focus on evangelization in the face... Read more

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki.

German cardinal thanks Pope Francis for his letter’s call to conversion

Jun 29, 2019

By Courtney Mares

German Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki thanked Pope Francis for ‘fearlessly’ calling Catholics in Germany to be a missionary church in... Read more

The Virgin Mary on the Ghent altar, created around 1430 by Jan van Eyck.

German bishop supports 'Church strike' for women's ordination

May 15, 2019

At least one bishop has offered his support for a week-long “Church strike” organized by German Catholic women, during which... Read more

 Cologne Cathedral.

German Church membership will be halved by 2060, new study says

May 6, 2019

The number of Germans who pay a state-administered “Church tax” to the Catholic Church or the country’s largest Protestant group... Read more

Bishop Franz Jung of Würzburg.

German bishop issues open invitation to Protestant spouses at Communion

Jul 6, 2018

The Bishop of Würzburg issued an open invitation to all Protestant spouses of Catholics to receive the Eucharist on July... Read more

Archbishop Hans-Josef Becker of Paderborn.

German bishop announces communion for Protestant spouses in 'individual cases'

Jul 1, 2018

According to a regional newspaper report, Archbishop Hans-Josef Becker of Paderborn has decided to allow Protestant spouses of Catholics living... Read more

Cardinal Walter Kasper.

German bishops react to Vatican decision on Communion for Protestants

Jun 8, 2018

Several German bishops have reacted with surprise, consternation and criticism to the Vatican’s rejection of a proposal to allow Protestants married... Read more

The delegations from Africa and Germany in the garden of the apostolic nunciature in Antananarivo, Madagascar, May 2018.

German, African bishops affirm continued need to evangelize

Jun 5, 2018

During a meeting last month between representatives of the bishops of Africa and Germany discussing integral human development, both groups... Read more

Pope Francis.

Pope Francis rejects German proposal for inter-communion

Jun 4, 2018

By Elise Harris

One month after Vatican and German delegates met in Rome to discuss a proposal put forward by German bishops to... Read more

Cardinal Reinhard Marx and Cardinal Rainer Woelki.

On intercommunion, Vatican returns the ball to German bishops

May 3, 2018

By Elise Harris

After several German bishops appealed to the Vatican over an alleged proposal to allow non-Catholic spouses in mixed faith marriages... Read more

Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising and Cardinal Rainier Woelki of Cologne in Rome, March 14, 2013.

German bishops to meet with Vatican officials on intercommunion topic

Apr 30, 2018

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Vatican confirmed Monday that a delegation of six German bishops and one priest will meet with Vatican officials, including... Read more

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, Archbishop of Cologne.

German bishops ask Vatican for clarity on Holy Communion

Apr 4, 2018

Seven German bishops have written to the Vatican, asking for clarification on the question of Protestant spouses of Catholics receiving... Read more

Frankfurt Church leader supports plan for same-sex blessings

Jan 24, 2018

A German bishop’s proposal that the Catholic Church could provide blessing ceremonies for gay couples, as well as divorced and... Read more

Blue light of a police car.

Bishops mourn victims of deadly truck detour on Berlin Christmas market

Dec 20, 2016

By Elise Harris

After 12 people were killed when a truck rammed into crowds at a Berlin Christmas market, the German bishops have... Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein at the Vatican Press Conference presenting the CD Cantate Domino by Sistine Chapel on Sept. 29, 2015.

Archbishop Ganswein calls German Church Tax 'a serious problem'

Jul 18, 2016

Archbishop Georg Ganswein has criticized the German Church Tax process, calling its handling of people opting out of the controversial... Read more

Cardinal Marx at the German Bishops' press conference at the Teutonic College on October 5, 2015.

After week of silence, German bishops respond to Cologne attacks

Jan 11, 2016

A week after hundreds were attacked in Cologne on New Year’s Eve, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising... Read more

Regensburg Cathedral.

Regensburg bishop breaks with fellow Germans to oppose 'gender theory'

Dec 17, 2015

The Bishop of Regensburg spoke out against “gender theory” in a homily recently made available in English – chastising the... Read more