The closure of religious services in churches in Germany has been widely linked to financial situations, but the causes behind this phenomenon are diverse and go beyond economic considerations.
Newsroom (03/02/2024 11:46, Gaudium Press) In the last five years, a gigantic number of churches in Germany have witnessed closure: 131. According to Infocatolica, out of these 131, 126 have already been desacralized.
This scenario is not limited to remote locations or those affected by urban development. An example is the Church of St. Benedict in Schäftlarn, belonging to the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising, which will also be closed. The parish association responsible for the church does not have the necessary resources to carry out the required renovations, despite it being consecrated just 58 years ago. Faced with this reality, closure becomes a drastic and inevitable measure.
The closure of religious services in churches in Germany has been widely linked to financial situations, but the causes behind this phenomenon are diverse and go beyond economic considerations.
Some try to minimize the impact, like the spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Bamberg who stated, “not a dozen churches have been sold or donated in the last 10 to 15 years [in their jurisdiction]. It is an extremely low number and shows that consecrated churches have only been sold in absolutely exceptional cases.”
Worrying decrease
In reality, the sale of churches coincides with a worrying decrease in the number of believers. According to recent data, the loss of 1.3 million declared Catholics in just four years (2019 to 2022) is alarming, regardless of variations related to births and deaths. In 2022 alone, over half a million believers left the Church.
This trend, far from being contained by the more “open” and progressive approach adopted by the German Church, seems to have been exacerbated by it.
In this context, the Italian newspaper Il Timone raises doubts about the direction being taken and emphasizes the need to question the new ecclesial model. By adapting the evangelical message to the values and paradigms of today’s society, the Church would be condemned to irrelevance, with no substantial difference between its teachings and the messages of the world.
Therefore, it is crucial for the Church in Germany to conduct a thorough examination of conscience rather than positioning itself as an example to be followed, especially regarding the abolition of traditional piety and morals.
Compiled by Christopher Hurst with files from Il Timone