The number of people leaving the church almost doubled in 2022 compared to the previous year: 1776 people left in the district of Miesbach alone.
The deans are looking for solutions.
District
– In the same year in which the archdiocese of Munich and Freising published the abuse report, around 1,800 people left the churches in the district of Miesbach.
The number summarizes all denominations - but the Catholic Church is likely to be hit hardest.
In addition to the regionally higher proportion of Catholics, this is also indicated by the figures from the previous year, for which the proportion of Catholics - unlike for 2022 - was already determined.
In 2021, for example, the number of cross-denominational resignations was 1065, not only significantly fewer than in the following year.
It is also revealing: According to Hendrik Steffens, spokesman for the archdiocese, 785 people left the Catholic Church at the time - a share of around 74 percent of the total.
On the other hand, according to Steffens, there were 585 baptisms, four entries and eleven re-entries.
The real loss was therefore 185 members.
Exit numbers are rising sharply
At the end of 2021, however, 50,021 district citizens were still members of the Catholic Church.
By 2022, however, this number, which has not yet been determined, is likely to be significantly lower - the number of people leaving has risen rapidly and in some cases even doubled (see chart).
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1776 resignations: The churches in the district of Miesbach shrunk rapidly in 2022.
© Graphic: MZV
Catholic deanship relies on community
Dean Michael Mannhardt, who heads the Hausham and Miesbach parish associations, emphasizes when asked: "We also accompany many people who are not members of our church." A major goal is to be there for people with worries and needs.
For example, the parish association offered services for parents who have lost a child.
"This is how we reach people in difficult situations."
But in order to really “pick up everyone”, formats such as church services would have to have appropriate elements.
"We also take a close look at First Communion and Confirmations: What do people actually need?"
In order to reverse the trend of increasing resignations, however, it first needs a rethink in people's minds, says the dean.
Community must be considered important and religious home must be in the church.
After all: "There were more baptisms in 2022 than in previous years." This is related to Corona, but is a positive trend.
In the future, Mannhardt still expects the church to be downsized – but he is primarily concerned about where people are going.
"The vacuum has to be filled somehow," says the dean.
He is therefore critical of the increase in esotericism.
Evangelical deanery wants to position itself
But not only Catholic church members are leaving.
Irschenberg is one of the few communities that break down the number of people leaving by denomination.
25 Catholics and four Protestants left here in 2021.
In 2022, 13 of the 41 who left were baptized Evangelical Lutherans.
According to the Evangelical Dean Heinrich Soffel, the fact that Protestants are also leaving the Catholic Church due to scandals is nothing new.
"When it comes to negative headlines, people often don't differentiate between the Catholic and the Protestant Church," he says.
However, it can also be observed the other way around, that in the event of a scandal in the Protestant Church, Catholics react by leaving.
However, Soffel believes many exits have to do with inflation and rising energy costs.
“Financial hardship definitely plays a role.” He also notes that many no longer define their church affiliation through membership and church tax.
On paper, there were around 28,000 members in the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen deanery, which also includes the Miesbach district.
But: "We have many people who are active and committed who are not church members."
Soffel is not surprised by the high number of departures.
“We are notified of every exit.
It has been hinted at throughout the year.” Nevertheless: “It hurts a lot.” Soffel also wants to ask people more about their needs and get closer to people.
"We are in discussion everywhere." Self-critically, he had to state that the church should ask itself more questions, says the dean.
A clear position, for example on topics such as ecology, is a dilemma.
"Our members have different opinions."
Registry offices feel the resignations in everyday life
Meanwhile, the impression of the registry offices is unanimous.
There, members complete their resignation, often before the church knows about it.
In Valley, for example, Franz Huber, manager of the town hall, formally handles the resignations.
He says: "It was really bad in the first quarter of 2022 - but there were also Protestants among them." Overall, a "domino effect" can be seen;
the visitors would come in swings.
Christine Neundlinger adds that most of them are Roman Catholic.
The registrar in Schliersee attributes this to the pattern in her community, but also says: "There used to be maybe 30 or 40 resignations a year." Now it was 139. The trend has been apparent for years.
But, as Bayrischzell's managing director Josef Acher emphasizes: "In 2022 there were more than ever before." He used to process one or two resignations a year.
Most recently there were 25. Most would tell the reasons frankly, “whether I want to know or not,” jokes Acher.
"I always say: You have to tell the pastor that."
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