German bishops divided sharply over same-sex blessing guidelines

CNA Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 09:23 am (CNA).

German bishops are divided sharply over implementing blessing guidelines for same-sex couples, with a comprehensive survey by katholisch.de revealing stark divisions across the country’s 27 dioceses, three months after the publication of the controversial pastoral handout.

Five dioceses — Cologne, Augsburg, Eichstätt, Passau, and Regensburg — have explicitly refused to implement the handout, all referencing the Vatican’s Fiducia Supplicans as their standard.

Eleven German dioceses have either officially endorsed or at least maintain pastoral practices aligned with the nonbinding guidelines titled “Segen gibt der Liebe Kraft” (“Blessings Give Strength to Love”), which were issued by the German Bishops’ Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK).

The remaining 11 dioceses have adopted various middle positions, with some expressing caution about the handout’s implementation or deferring to individual pastoral discretion.

Augsburg outlines objections

The Bavarian Diocese of Augsburg provided a substantive critique of the German handout, with Bishop Bertram Meier identifying several points where the guidance conflicts with Vatican teaching.

He noted that while Fiducia Supplicans emphasizes that such blessings should not be promoted or have a prescribed ritual, the German handout explicitly speaks of “blessing celebrations” and intends to evaluate experiences with such blessings.

The diocese also expressed concern that the handout suggests “planned and aesthetically appealing design of a liturgical blessing celebration” with music and singing, which contradicts the Vatican’s guidance for brief, spontaneous blessings.

The Catholic initiative Neuer Anfang — “New Beginnings” — has sharply criticized the German guidelines, arguing they promote “the opposite of the stated intentions” of Pope Francis and contradict the original purpose of Fiducia Supplicans, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

New Beginnings contends that many German bishops are failing to uphold Catholic sexual ethics in their implementation approaches, warning that the handout encourages practices that go well beyond what the Vatican document envisioned.

Cardinal Müller strongly condemns the ‘fraud’

Former Vatican doctrine chief Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller has delivered a scathing critique of the German implementation in a guest contribution for Die Tagespost.

Müller compared the current situation to medieval indulgence trading, which “endangered the eternal salvation of deceivers and deceived and brought us the continuing division of Christianity to this day.”

The cardinal and professor of theology argued on July 18 that according to biblical understanding, marriage exists only between a man and a woman, making ecclesiastical blessing rites for irregular life situations both “ineffective before God” and constituting “pious fraud” toward participants, CNA Deutsch reported.

In previous writings, Müller warned that Fiducia Supplicans — which has received a mixed reaction across the globe — was “confusing” and contradictory to previous doctrinal documents. 

Some dioceses proceed with implementation

Despite these serious concerns and criticisms, the northern German dioceses of Limburg, Osnabrück, and Trier have published the guidance in their official bulletins.

The Diocese of Würzburg is going so far as to promote “blessing services” for same-sex couples at wedding exhibitions, katholisch.de reported.

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, who also serves as president of the German Bishops’ Conference, claimed that implementing the guidance aims to strengthen people in partnerships “who live together in love and responsibility.”

In Mainz, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf recommended his staff “proceed according to the handout in your practice.” At the same time, the Diocese of Fulda expressed support, describing the controversial document as “an important step toward a Church that is oriented to people’s life realities and respects love in all its expressions.”

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/265829/german-bishops-divided-sharply-over-same-sex-blessing-guidelines