“Exactly the wrong signal”

After the abuse study, the debate on homosexuality seemed to be reopened in the church as well. The Vatican now apparently wants to stop this. A Catholic university rector probably loses his post.

A renowned Catholic theologian is to lose his post as university director at the behest of the Vatican – because of positive statements on homosexuality. Jesuit Father Ansgar Wucherpfennig has been elected for another term as rector of the Catholic University of St. Georgen in Frankfurt, although. But so far Rome has surprisingly refused to give the necessary confirmation for the renewal of office.

This appalls not only the initiative "We are Church", which demands "resolute resistance" against the Roman decision. Also the Limburger bishop Georg Batzing and the Jesuit order expressed their incomprehension. Johannes Siebner, Provincial of the Jesuits in Germany, explained on Monday: "I can honestly not imagine anything else than that it is a misunderstanding there. Otherwise it would be an outrageous procedure."

"Nihil obstat" remained so far out of it

The background is "the catching of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that public statements of Father Wucherpfennig in October 2016 are not in accordance with the teachings of the Church". It would involve theological considerations on homosexuality and questions of a possible diaconate of women.

Already at the beginning of February 2018, the university conference had elected Wucherpfennig, who had been in office since 2014, for a third two-year term as rector. This choice calls for confirmation by church authorities. Both the Limburg Bishop Batzing and Provincial Siebner had agreed to this choice. The still needed Roman declaration of no objection ("Nihil obstat"), which the Congregation for Education ies together with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, "has not yet been ied," however, the Jesuit order said.

Stone of the stumbling block: statements about homosexuality and women in the church

The "Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger" and the "Frankfurter Rundschau" (Monday) had first reported on the event. Accordingly, the Vatican demands from Wucherpfennig a public revocation of his positions. The 52-year-old professor of New Testament had commented in an interview with the "Frankfurter Neue Presse" in October 2016.

Asked at the time why the Catholic Church had a "hostile attitude" toward homosexuals, he replied, "My impression is that these are deep-seated passages in the Bible, some of which have been misunderstood."Wucherpfennig had also suggested thinking about the obligatory nature of celibacy. "I also find problematic the male societies that have been established in the Catholic Church as a result of celibacy," the theologian said. Only as demanded by Pope Francis to think about the diaconate of women, that is "still too short".

A contribution by Wucherpfennig in the magazine "Stimmen der Zeit" from June 2018, which is only a few months old, may also have contributed to the decision from Rome. There he had advocated blessing ceremonies for homosexual life partners.

"No doubt about suitability"

Jesuit Provincial Siebner went on a confrontation course with Rome on Monday; he stands unreservedly by Wucherpfennig, he explained: "His conduct in office over the past four years, his theology, his completely indisputable ecclesiasticism and his personal integrity do not leave the slightest doubt about his suitability."

A diocese spokesman told our site, also the bishop had agreed Wucherpfennig's re-election "unreservedly". Vatican's decision is "not very comprehensible". The Frankfurt city dean Johannes zu Eltz spoke of a "completely unjustified punishment" of the rector.

"A case with signal effect"

In a joint statement, the Catholic pastors of Frankfurt appeared "unhinged" about the Roman action. The attempt to "prevent open discussion of sexual ies within the church" is "exactly the wrong signal". The frightening findings of the abuse study recently published by the bishops' conference made it clear "that the church's pathological handling of the ie of (homo)sexuality also fosters sexualized violence".

According to the university's bylaws, Vice Rector Thomas Meckel from 1. October 2018 to the rector's official duties. According to the Jesuit order, this will apply "until a proper appointment of the rector of the university is made from Rome". BDKJ federal chairman Thomas Andonie called on Pope Francis to intervene directly. The case has a great signal effect.

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Christina Cherry
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