‘Leaving the Church to Stay Catholic’? German Faithful Face Church Tax Dilemma

[Michie]

An increasing number of practicing German Catholics don’t want to fund the local Church’s controversial trajectory in the wake of the Synodal Way; but the only way to not pay the ‘church tax’ is to officially disaffiliate from the Catholic Church in Germany — and risk losing access to the sacraments.

David Rodriguez, a dual German-Spanish citizen who has lived in Germany for the past 30 years, loves his Catholic faith. A parishioner of St. Herz Jesu in Berlin, he tells the Register that “the sacraments are like the water I need for spiritual life.”

But alarmed by the officially backed German Synodal Way — which earlier this year accepted an array of resolutions that deviate from settled Church teachings — and desperate to stop financially contributing to it, Rodriguez is considering a measure that, according to current church practice in Germany, would put his access to the sacraments in jeopardy: legally disaffiliating from the Catholic Church in Germany.

It’s a dramatic step, one that involves publicly renouncing one’s membership to the Church before a government official. The move is widely regarded in Germany as a de facto “self-excommunication,” as those who go through with it are technically barred from the Eucharist, penance, other sacraments, and even a Christian burial. Ecclesial participation is also curtailed, as holding Church office or employment, participating on diocesan or parish councils, and even serving as a godparent are also prohibited.

Continued below.

‘Leaving the Church to Stay Catholic’? German Faithful Face Church Tax Dilemma

An increasing number of practicing German Catholics don’t want to fund the local Church’s controversial trajectory in the wake of the Synodal Way; but the only way to not pay the ‘church tax’ is to officially disaffiliate from the Catholic Church in Germany — and risk losing access to the...

www.ncregister.com

 

[Valletta]

An increasing number of practicing German Catholics don’t want to fund the local Church’s controversial trajectory in the wake of the Synodal Way; but the only way to not pay the ‘church tax’ is to officially disaffiliate from the Catholic Church in Germany — and risk losing access to the sacraments.

David Rodriguez, a dual German-Spanish citizen who has lived in Germany for the past 30 years, loves his Catholic faith. A parishioner of St. Herz Jesu in Berlin, he tells the Register that “the sacraments are like the water I need for spiritual life.”

But alarmed by the officially backed German Synodal Way — which earlier this year accepted an array of resolutions that deviate from settled Church teachings — and desperate to stop financially contributing to it, Rodriguez is considering a measure that, according to current church practice in Germany, would put his access to the sacraments in jeopardy: legally disaffiliating from the Catholic Church in Germany.

It’s a dramatic step, one that involves publicly renouncing one’s membership to the Church before a government official. The move is widely regarded in Germany as a de facto “self-excommunication,” as those who go through with it are technically barred from the Eucharist, penance, other sacraments, and even a Christian burial. Ecclesial participation is also curtailed, as holding Church office or employment, participating on diocesan or parish councils, and even serving as a godparent are also prohibited.

Continued below.

‘Leaving the Church to Stay Catholic’? German Faithful Face Church Tax Dilemma

An increasing number of practicing German Catholics don’t want to fund the local Church’s controversial trajectory in the wake of the Synodal Way; but the only way to not pay the ‘church tax’ is to officially disaffiliate from the Catholic Church in Germany — and risk losing access to the...

www.ncregister.com

I pray the pope intervenes in Germany and requires all Catholics, to include the bishops, to follow the teachings of the Church.

 

[chevyontheriver]

An increasing number of practicing German Catholics don’t want to fund the local Church’s controversial trajectory in the wake of the Synodal Way; but the only way to not pay the ‘church tax’ is to officially disaffiliate from the Catholic Church in Germany — and risk losing access to the sacraments.

David Rodriguez, a dual German-Spanish citizen who has lived in Germany for the past 30 years, loves his Catholic faith. A parishioner of St. Herz Jesu in Berlin, he tells the Register that “the sacraments are like the water I need for spiritual life.”

But alarmed by the officially backed German Synodal Way — which earlier this year accepted an array of resolutions that deviate from settled Church teachings — and desperate to stop financially contributing to it, Rodriguez is considering a measure that, according to current church practice in Germany, would put his access to the sacraments in jeopardy: legally disaffiliating from the Catholic Church in Germany.

It’s a dramatic step, one that involves publicly renouncing one’s membership to the Church before a government official. The move is widely regarded in Germany as a de facto “self-excommunication,” as those who go through with it are technically barred from the Eucharist, penance, other sacraments, and even a Christian burial. Ecclesial participation is also curtailed, as holding Church office or employment, participating on diocesan or parish councils, and even serving as a godparent are also prohibited.

Continued below.

‘Leaving the Church to Stay Catholic’? German Faithful Face Church Tax Dilemma

An increasing number of practicing German Catholics don’t want to fund the local Church’s controversial trajectory in the wake of the Synodal Way; but the only way to not pay the ‘church tax’ is to officially disaffiliate from the Catholic Church in Germany — and risk losing access to the...

www.ncregister.com

The German 'synodal way church' wants to radically include EVERYBODY except for a few people who happen to be orthodox. Those folks get excommunicated for not paying up and thus supporting the silliness.

The German 'church tax' is a nasty thing.

 

[Wolseley]

European church taxes are a pernicious malignancy that Americans, thankfully, don't have to deal with. IMOHO, I don't feel that secular governments should have any hand or say in what church a citizen attends, nor should they have any right to collect any kind of taxes from those citizens.

Fortunately for me, I don't live in Europe, nor do I have any desire to do so.

 

[Bridgida]

Yes, everyone is automatically included in paying taxes for the churches, even so if they are not religious. I signed off when I was 18 years old. I live for 30 years in England and go to churches including the German Lutheran church.

 

[WarriorAngel]

IS there only one Church in Germany?
Did this Church take over all of them?



"Lord send out Your Spirit and renew the face of the earth."

 

[Bridgida]

Your questions are totally wrong. Of course there are all sorts of other denominations.
Everyone has to pay tax for them, which is I think not much. I don't know if you pay for Jehovas Whitness who is classified as a sect.

 

[Michie]

(OSV News) — Germany’s Catholic Church will be forced to give up a third of its properties in the face of dwindling membership and revenue, according to a new report, with many buildings facing demolition unless converted to other uses.

“It’s a fact that Church attendance has strongly (been) reduced, with a significant and steady decline in priestly vocations and Church membership, and an increasing loss of financial income,” said Matthias Kopp, spokesman for the German bishops’ conference.

“However, the closures have not only affected parish churches — the abandonment of monasteries, as well as of Church and charitable institutions, has also led to empty religious houses, pilgrimage centers and chapels,” he told OSV News.

The lay Catholic was reacting to the early May report in Germany’s Kirche & Recht review, which warned that 40,000 rectories, community centers and places of worship would have to be abandoned by 2060.

In an OSV News interview, he said it was unclear whether the report’s data had been confirmed by the Catholic and evangelical churches, but added that necessary adjustments to “territorial pastoral structures” had long been underway across Germany.

“Some places of worship are either no longer needed at all, or not fully needed, while many congregations are already forced to keep their churches closed outside of Mass times,” Kopp told OSV News.

“The Church has to accommodate the situation of its members, as well as of its buildings, finances and services such as Caritas. This means changes are necessary, and these are the responsibility of parishes and dioceses.”

Continued below.

New report says Germany's Catholic Church faces major decline in membership, revenue

Germany's Catholic Church will be forced to give up a third of its properties in the face of dwindling membership and revenue, according to a new report

www.oursundayvisitor.com

 

[Bridgida]

Yes, this is going for quite a while. Like here in England. I think it came through the school system and the rise of science which in general tried to emliminate religious believes. I mean otehrwise there are churches which are packed and have a congregation which is there for ever. We have a problem that in schools and universities believes are not allowed to talk about or even write about.
And the churches make a mistake that if you want to say something, they tell you is all in your mind. What is this??? No wonder everyone becomes New Age followers and plays around with christal stones and reads books about angels and worse.
I come from a family who does not go to church and even so three members had spiritual expereinces. Try to tell the others to go to church is very difficult and I am talking about two families, but one allows their daughter to buy Christal stones. People get divorced because they don't understand anymore the faith. You get married in church and never open the Bible afterward.
And forget things about Catholic. We have a lot of evangelical and Bonhoers and others.

 

[Wolseley]

It wouldn't surprise me if Europe eventually goes back to worshipping Odin and Thor.

Or maybe they'll form a new religion with Christine Jorgensen and Harvey Milk as the chief gods of the pantheon.