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ARD documentary "How God created us": How do the conservative dioceses in the south react?
Photo: rbb
A prospective transsexual religion teacher, a gay priest, a lesbian doctor in a Catholic hospital - and more than 120 other LGBTIQ+ within the church have come out under the motto #OutInChurch.
The cumulative presence of so many non-heterosexual Catholics in public has in many places been viewed favorably in the diocesan ordinariates.
"An open confession to homosexuality has no legal consequences in the Diocese of Speyer," promised Speyer Vicar General Andreas Sturm.
The Essen Vicar General Klaus Pfeffer also promised the employees in his diocese and supports the nationwide initiative, which goes back to the Hammer pastor Bernd Mönkebüscher and the Hamburg religious education teacher Jens Ehebrecht-Zumsande.
Osnabrück Bishop Franz-Josef Bode paid tribute to the campaign.
The testimonies of those affected, which were broadcast on Monday in the ARD documentary "How God Created Us", called for "a long overdue debate".
»Individual solutions always create uncertainties«
At the same time, however, Bode recalled that the loyalty of church employees is still closely tied to their way of life in terms of employment law.
»In the design, individual regulations are possible, these are sought in our diocese sensitively and to the best of our ability.
But individual solutions always create uncertainties.« Bode hopes to find reliable solutions for all sides with the help of the synodal path.
Hamburg Archbishop Stefan Hess also paid tribute to the church employees for the outing – and questioned Catholic sexual morality: "A church in which one has to hide because of one's sexual orientation cannot, in my opinion, be in the spirit of Jesus."
The Bishop of Aachen, Helmut Ders, even welcomed the action "on behalf of the bishops' conference" as a sign that "a climate of freedom from fear must prevail in our church and must develop".
Nobody should be discriminated against, devalued or criminalized because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity.
It is questionable to what extent the more conservative dioceses, especially in Bavaria, are open to changes in church labor law.
According to the »Main Post«, Bishop Franz Jung of Würzburg pointed out after the action that celibacy also applies to homosexual priests.
According to Bayerischer Rundfunk, the bishoprics of Regensburg and Passau have so far kept a low profile on request.
Numerous associations, including the Central Committee of German Catholics, have supported the demands.
Apr