Today, The Bishop of Osnabrück, Franz-Josef Bode is reported to have said that he would like to see the possibility of Holy Communion for mixed marriages making Communion for non-Catholics married to Catholics possible.
Why is it that the German church is able to come up with so many ideas which are quite frankly heterodox?
I suggest that there is a degree of arrogance.
Churches in Germany are boosted by the re-allocation of taxes collected by the state to support organised religious groups. The German Catholic Church benefits greatly meanwhile Mass attendances are down to an all-time low. German Catholics are voting with their feet.
Figures provided by the German bishops’ conference suggest that weekly Mass attendance is in decline. In 2014, 10.8% - it was 22% as recently as 1989.
This is a lower participation rate than in England and Wales, but a little better than France.
The church tax is quite perverse. For example, only a fraction of German Catholics pay it. It is applied as a supplement to income tax, those without taxable income – children, pensioners, housewives, the unemployed – don’t have to pay.
But Mass attendance has fallen so low that the number of Catholics paying the tax now far outstrips the number actively involved with the Church.
So instead of tackling the issues of less people in the pews, the German bishops spend their time seeking populist ideas to woo the missing many back only their lost sheep don't appear to be coming home.
Perhaps speculation on my part but it was a German Priest and Professor of theology who set the wheels in motion for the Protestant reformation, could history be repeating itself?
Billions of euros pour into the German hierarchy’s coffers every year thanks to the church tax and I suggest that this position of financial comfort gives the German bishops the leverage to say what they want, when they want and they seem to get them Rome’s ear.
Who says money doesn’t talk?
Keep the faith!
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us!