German Bishop Announces Abolition of Celibacy after Amazon Synod
Overbeck is responsible for Adveniat, the Latin America relief organisation of the German bishops which contributes significantly to the Amazon Synod.
Because of an allegedly "low number" of priests he wants "more security" in the life of the Church through "Mass on Sunday" and through "gathering people."
He proposes abolishing celibacy by means of a "dispensation" (individual case trick): "I know that this has already been considered in many ways also in the preparatory meetings."
Overbeck stresses the fact that the Germans have been sending church tax money to Latin America via Adveniat "for almost 60 years" and declares bluntly that [therefore] "we must seriously think about such a proposal."
Picture: Franz-Josef Overbeck, © Olaf Kosinsky, CC-BY-SA
