[Catholic Caucus] Senior German Priest Leaves Catholic Church

Catholic News Agency ^ | May 17, 2022 | CNA Staff

[viewfromthefrontier]

A senior German priest has announced that he is no longer Catholic, citing his disappointment over a lack of “reforms” in the Church and admitting to having broken his promise of celibacy.

“At the same time, I experience how much hope is placed in ongoing processes such as the Synodal Way. But I’m no longer in a position to also proclaim and honestly and sincerely share that hope, because I simply don’t have it anymore.”

The former vicar general described the ordination of women to the priesthood, as well as “the abolition of compulsory celibacy, dealing with queer people, co-determination of the laity, blessing ceremonies for homosexuals and overall sexual morality in the Church,” as the most important topics that he believed were not being addressed.

Admitting in an interview to having broken the promise of celibacy, Sturm told the local newspaper Mannheimer Morgen that he had long doubted whether the Catholic Church was “a good fit for me,” even in seminary and as a pastor.

In a number of interviews with German newspapers, Sturm said that he was launching a book about his experience. The title of the publication, scheduled for release in June, is “I have to get out of this Church,” with the subtitle “Because I want to remain a human being. A vicar general speaks out.”

According to a press release by the publisher Herder, Sturm said: “For me, there was only ever the Roman Catholic Church and my life in it and with it. In the meantime, I have been asking myself for some time whether I am not also co-dependent. Co-dependent on this Church.

[viewfromthefrontier]

Would that more of these heretics would leave the Church.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

[Gay State Conservative]

Married priests? Some are allowed to be married...why are some forbidden to marry? Women priests? I could be persuaded either way on that. Endorsing homosexual acts? Nope,no way! Homosexual marriage...”transgenderism”? Nope,no way!

[Albion Wilde]

So, when will he be marrying his husband?

[Deepeasttx]

Some are allowed to be married...

---

We had a married priest at Ft Hood when I was there. We asked this same question to him. He said, he was a married Episcopalian minister and entered the catholic church as a priest. Ergo, allowed to remain married.

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

What an idiot, to completion. A complete idiot.

[Gay State Conservative]

Yes,it's my understanding that most married Catholic priests are Episcopal converts. But they *are* married and they have pledged fidelity to the Pope's authority and that pledge has been accepted by the Vatican.

God "instilled" in all men a strong desire to have the companionship of a wife. That need is almost as strong as the need for air and food.

Periodic celibacy? OK,I can accept that that might be pleasing to God...but lifelong is more difficult for me to understand.

[Ge0ffrey]

Buh bye

[Texas_Guy]

Here is why priests are celibate.

https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_cclergy_doc_01011993_theol_en.html

[Gay State Conservative]

No,that's why *some* priests are celibate.

[Gay State Conservative]

A true story: growing up in eastern Massachusetts during the 50's and 60's Catholics were forbidden to eat meat on Friday.I'm not sure if that edict was just in our diocese,nationwide or worldwide. I didn't understand the reason but I freely complied.Today I think I understand the reasoning...it's a reminder,a good and worthwhile reminder,that there are things that are more important than a luxury like beef...chicken,etc.

Occasional celibacy for priests would be understandable...and beneficial...for the same reason that meatless Fridays are.Celibacy on Sundays,Holy Days and perhaps during Lent would qualify,IMO.

Lifelong celibacy for some but not for others? Very,very hard for me to understand.

[SauronOfMordor]

Eastern Orthodox priests can be married.

[Gay State Conservative]

Yup,understood.

[married21]

If eastern orthodox priests marry, they cannot become bishops. They have to make up their mind one way or the other.

[Fedora]

The article mentions: "Sturm is not the only prominent German Catholic figure to gravitate to the Old Catholics. Another notable case is that of Anselm Bilgri, the former prior of the Bavarian abbey of Andechs. The ex-Benedictine monk made headlines in Germany on May 17 over claims that Pope Francis had dismissed him from the clerical state for reportedly conducting Catholic weddings and baptisms, despite having left the Church and joined the Old Catholics in 2020." Since the late 19th century, there have been a number of groups which borrow the name "Old Catholic" but do not subscribe to Old Catholic beliefs, instead using the term as cloak of legitimacy for occult practices and homosexual networking. There was significant overlap between this homosexual network and Aleister Crowley's OTO--originally based in Germany and tied to German intelligence--which was also trying to infiltrate the Roman Catholic hierarchy during World War I, borrowing a blackmail tactic previously perfected by the Carbonari. I would be curious which so-called "Old Catholic" groups these German heretics have been gravitating toward.

[viewfromthefrontier]

Yes. And this is kind of why I posted the article. Is this what schism will look like - priests defecting to a quasi-Catholic state, more friendly to their heretical views?

[Fedora]

I think you’re onto something there. Based on precedent, some of them will probably defect to other quasi-Catholic groups, while others in contact with the defectors will try to remain attached to the Church so they can continue to undermine from within and leech off existing resources.