Catholic Church in Germany

The Latest

Archbishop Stefan Heße of Hamburg.

Pope Francis declines resignation of German Catholic archbishop

Sep 15, 2021

By CNA Staff

Hamburg Archbishop Stefan Heße announced in March that he was offering his resignation. Read more

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

Ahead of key ‘Synodal Way’ meeting, lay leader says: ‘What matters now is the ability to compromise’

Sep 6, 2021

By CNA Staff

Participants will votes on draft texts dedicated to hot-button issues. 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

Pope Benedict XVI on Aug. 28, 2010.

Benedict XVI laments lack of faith within Church institutions in Germany

Jul 26, 2021

By CNA Staff

The pope emeritus spoke about faith, worldliness, and the institutional Church. Read more

The Catholic Cathedral of Limburg in Hesse, Germany.

More than 220,000 people left the Catholic Church in Germany in 2020

Jul 14, 2021

By CNA Staff

The figure was lower than the record number set in 2019. Read more

Cardinal Walter Kasper.

Cardinal Kasper ‘very worried’ about German Church’s ‘Synodal Way’

Jun 10, 2021

By CNA Staff

Cardinal Walter Kasper said he hoped that the prayers of faithful Catholics “will help to steer the Synodal Way in... Read more

Gerhard Cardinal Müller, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, at a penance service in St. Peter's Basilica, March 29, 2019. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Cardinal Müller calls on Pope Francis to intervene with the Church in Germany

May 27, 2021

By CNA Staff

Gerhard Cardinal Müller on Monday called upon the Holy Father to intervene in the German situation to correct clerics who... Read more

Archbishop Samuel Aquila

Archbishop Aquila: Germany's synodal path needs repentance, belief, truth

May 26, 2021

By CNA Staff

The German Catholic bishops and those involved in the synodal path of the Church in Germany must be the first... Read more

A blessing service at St. Augustin Catholic church in Würzburg, Germany, for couples, including those of the same-sex, May 10, 2021.

Blessing same-sex couples a diabolical and sacrilegious act, priest affirms

May 11, 2021

By Walter Sánchez Silva

Fr. Hugo Valdemar, canon penitentiary of the Archdiocese of Mexico, said that the blessing that priests and pastoral workers gave... Read more

The Catholic Cathedral of Limburg in Hesse, Germany.

George Weigel: Church in Germany called to fidelity to revelation

May 10, 2021

By CNA Staff

The Church in Germany is called to follow revealed truth rather than the spirit of the times, George Weigel, biographer... Read more

Bishop urges prayer, fasting in response to blessings of same-sex couples in Germany

Apr 19, 2021

In response to a planned day of blessings for same-sex partners in Germany, the Bishop of San Sebastián on Wednesday... Read more

The Square Michel Foucault in Paris. Credit: J. Maughn via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0).

Abuse commission of Church in Germany defends citing Michel Foucault

Apr 13, 2021

The abuse commission of the Catholic Church in Germany has defended its citation of French philosopher Michel Foucault in a... 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

Then-Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, now prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, speaks at the Holy See press office, Sept. 8, 2015.

More than 200 German-speaking theology professors criticize Vatican ‘no’ to same-sex blessings

Mar 22, 2021

More than 200 theology professors in the German-speaking world have signed a statement criticizing the Vatican’s rejection of blessings for... 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

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

Catholics and Protestants in Germany announce intercommunion move despite Vatican objections

Mar 16, 2021

By CNA Staff

Catholics and Protestants in Germany have announced that they will press ahead with intercommunion at an event in May despite... 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

Archbishop Stefan Heße of Hamburg.

German Catholic archbishop asks Vatican to review his handling of abuse allegations

Nov 23, 2020

A German archbishop asked the Vatican Friday to review his handling of abuse allegations.   Read more