Bishop Barron becomes a hate figure for progressive Catholicism in Germany. Vigil organised for 27 July to protest against his reception of top Catholic honour.

Münster: Protest by the Family Federation, BDKJ (Federation of German Catholic Youth) and KFD (Catholic Women's Association of Germany) against Bishop Barron

Robert Barron will celebrate a Pontifical mass in the Überwasser Church with Passau Bishop Stefan Oster. 

At the end of July, the US clergyman will receive the Josef Pieper Prize in the Überwasser Church. These associations are now announcing a vigil

Several associations are calling for protests in Münster on the occasion of the awarding of the Josef Pieper Prize to US Bishop Robert Barron. One alliance announced a vigil on the Überwasser Church Square for July 27. Barron is to be honored on that day. Critics accuse him of supporting US President Donald Trump, spreading misinformation, and advocating anti-queer positions.

The Münster district chapter of Alliance 90/The Greens, the Ecumenical Working Group on Homosexuals and the Church, the Catholic LGBT+ Committee, and several Catholic associations in the diocese, including the Federation of German Catholic Youth, the Catholic Family Federation, and the Catholic Women's Association of Germany, are calling for the vigil.

Continued criticism of the award

The awarding of the prize to Barron had already drawn criticism in recent months, including from the Diocesan Committee of the Diocese of Münster, the representative body of Catholic laypeople. The Josef Pieper Prize is awarded by the foundation in Münster named after the German philosopher. Barron, like few others, uses modern media to support Christian preaching, drawing on the thoughts and writings of Josef Pieper, they explained the choice of the award winner.

Barron has been Bishop of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, since 2022. He founded the social media evangelization initiative "Word on Fire." The Bishop has more than 500,000 followers on Instagram. Barron's proximity to the Trump administration and his supporters has repeatedly drawn criticism – even within the Catholic Church.

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