• Germany edition
Society
Zollitsch. Photo: DPA

Priests rebel to include remarried divorcees

Published: 18 Jun 12 14:36 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20120618-43223.html

German priests are rebelling over accepting remarried divorcees into their churches, forcing a confrontation between their bishop and Catholic authorities.

The campaign of disobedience is centred on the “Freiburg Declaration” – a statement signed by around 200 active priests and deacons calling for remarried divorcees to be given communion even though it is against Catholic law.

“We want to end a decades-old stalemate,” said Freiburg pastor Hansjörg Rasch.

“The commandment of brotherly love must also apply to those who have failed in their first marriage and are trying again,” said Konrad Irslinger, a priest from nearby.

Many churches give communion to remarried divorcees on the quiet, a practice that is tolerated, even though strictly it should not be allowed.

The “Freiburg Declaration” is calling for changes to the Catholic law which bars all remarried divorcees from communion – as well as from holding any church office, such as a seat in the parish council.

Freiburg’s bishop Robert Zollitsch is being put in a tricky situation by the rebellion in his diocese – he is chairman of the German Catholic bishops and last year came up against fierce resistance from the Vatican after speaking of a possible change in the law.

Catholic authorities refer to the sanctity of marriage as a demonstration of dedication to God – something that can never be broken.

Since then he has been silent on the subject in the hope of avoiding a confrontation, and has called for all priests to either not sign the declaration – and to withdraw their support if they have already done so.

He is due to meet members from the initiative for talks on Thursday.

The church reform movement “We are the Church” has called for the bishops to follow the declaration, and hope the rebellion, which already has a considerable following in the neighbouring diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, will gather strength and provoke a change.

DPA/The Local/hc

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

16:30 June 18, 2012 by twisted
Religion means zip to me but for those of you who believe in God and are Catholic, and who are being told by the church you can¦#39;t do this and you can¦#39;t do that, why stay as a Catholic? Move to another church or religion. The Catholic Church in my opinion is about 100 years behind society in general. Gays and Lesbians are not welcome, divorce is only proper through the church, priests cannot marry, women are controlled by the church in their anti-abortion stand, sexual scandals abound…need I go on? Tell the pope and the CC to take a hike….and you can save on your taxes.
17:02 June 18, 2012 by XFYRCHIEF
"Catholic authorities refer to the sanctity of marriage as a demonstration of dedication to God ­ something that can never be broken." Unless, of course, you pay off the church to have the marriage "annulled". As long as the church gets its share of the money, it can't be done.
19:18 June 18, 2012 by Nina Williams
@XFYRCHIEF...I assume that you are referring to that Kennedy fiasco...well said!!!
20:15 June 18, 2012 by romber58
I am a former Seminarian who was ironically rescued from this religious brainwashing, partly due to the good all round education that i received there. It encouraged me at least to think for myself and to eventually cast aside the "mind-forged manacles" of the catholic church and any other religion which tells anyone who wants to hear that it is in posession of THE TRUTH.

As TWISTED said,"Religion means zip to me".

I must admit though that i follow with glee any new scandal and embarrassment that these elderly virgins in the Vatican bring on themselves.
22:47 June 18, 2012 by wood artist
The Catholic church may have been founded upon the principles expounded by Jesus, but those were forgotten long ago. Ever since then it's been all about power, and Germany, sitting in the middle of Europe should know that more than any other nation. Heck, until the period between WWI and WWII, the Pope still claimed that he alone had the power to actually "accept" national rulers...be they hereditary or elected! That old phrase "divine right of kings" came from...Rome!

This argument is just more of the same. Jesus hung around with some really shady characters, and taught that all people had value and that we should love all of them, not just some. "Love the sinner but hate the sin" was a part of that, but the Catholic bosses don't see it that way. Screw up once...i.e. marry the "wrong person" and you should either suck it up and make each other miserable for the rest of your lives...and probably mess up your kids in the process, or divorce...and go straight to hell forever. Yeah, that sounds exactly like something Jesus would say, right?

In any church decision, just ask yourself "Does this somehow increase their power?" I'm betting the answer will always be yes.

wa
10:51 June 19, 2012 by Bigfoot76
"elderly virgins" You mean diddling with the alter boys does not count? :D

"Love the sinner but hate the sin" This is exactly how is it supposed to be.
20:05 June 20, 2012 by romber58
There is no such thing as sin, Bigfoot76,unless one is caught up in the religious way of thinking.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
'The Jewish Candidate'
Photo: David Crossland

'Germany is indifferent to neo-Nazi violence'

It's an intriguing premise: Are Germans ready to elect a Jewish politician chancellor? British journalist David Crossland has written a novel exploring themes of racism and neo-Nazi violence in Germany. The Local has excerpts. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Fan wants Bayern ticket-Oktoberfest beer swap

A Bayern Munich supporter is so desperate to get his hands on a ticket for Saturday's Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund he is offering to trade 20 litres of beer and a rare free table at Oktoberfest. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Nationwide cannabis limit rolls nearer

Germany could in the future have a country-wide “tolerable limit” for cannabis possession, it was reported on Friday. Currently, this amount differs between states. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Job centre Facebook spying 'is illegal'

Job centres searching for photos of “ill” people at wild parties or statuses by “broke” people boasting about their new cars were warned on Friday it was illegal to use Facebook to spy on people suspected of abusing the benefits system. READ () »

Last year's annual meeting. Photo: DPA

Fraternities mull 'Aryan purity' test for members

Germany's oldest fraternity association could change its membership rules to include only ethnic Germans at their annual meeting this weekend, the country's media reported on Friday. READ () »

My Germany
Photo: Private

'Herrenberg is a colourful, cultural gem'

Get The Local flavour of Germany with our series offering an insider's take on their hometown. This week, Marcy Jarvis talks about her adopted town, Herrenberg. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Immigrants 'more skilled' than many Germans

Nearly half of all immigrants arriving in Germany are more highly skilled than their host country's residents, a study released on Friday revealed. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Cardinal: Women should stay at home and breed

A leading German Catholic cardinal says the government should encourage women to stay at home and breed - rather than bring immigrants into the country to solve its demographic problems. READ () »

More Society
RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER AND ALERTS
Highlights
Photo: DPA
OPINION »
The country's most revered and reviled composer, Richard Wagner is our German of the week in time for his 200th birthday.
Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: M&S Photo: Private Photo: Katie Needs Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: A Peoples' Picture Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: Private Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Photo: DPA Monster/jobpilot.de Furniture Leasing Corporation Photo: Henrik Trygg/imagebank.sweden.se



Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Latest news from The Local in Sweden

More news from Sweden at thelocal.se

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

970 jobs available
657 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Blog
Essentials

Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.

Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

News from the Goethe-Institut
News from Young Germany
  • So You Want to Be an Artist
    The tradition of hands-on training in the arts is alive and well in Germany. Interested in studying visual, performance, or sound arts? Keen to pursue graphic and product design, textiles, or typography? Germany is home to many exceptional art schools as well as a rich history of excellence in and support for the arts.
  • Frankfurt's Skyscrapers: A Guide
    Frankfurt is known for banks and skyscrapers. So what is behind the colossal glass, steel, and stone facades of the city’s buildings? Meet Frankfurt’s tallest.
  • Conference - Pioneers on Dual Training Abroad
    Germany‘s system of dual training is one of the foundations of its economic strength.
  • The all-German final in Wembley
    Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund are playing in the final of the Champions League at London’s Wembley Stadium.
  • German first feature film in Cannes
    A directorial debut from Germany makes it to the competition “Un Certain Regard” at the famous film festival on the Côte d’Azur.
News from DeutschlandOnline

Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
Little house in Spain
'Charming, old, beamed cottage for holiday let in Jesus Pobre, Alicante, Spain
www.littlehouseinspain.com/
Albatross Insurance
Professional and qualified consultancy on all insurance and finance matters in Germany, Telephone: +49 2163 571 1740, Email: bg@albatross-assurance.com
www.albatross-assurance.com
Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.