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German bishop: Bishops' prayer of atonement after LGBTQ pilgrimage "scandalous"

Schepers: Bishops' prayer of atonement after LGBTQ pilgrimage "scandalous"

Four bishops asked for forgiveness after an LGBTQ pilgrimage and the alleged "desecration" of St. Peter's Basilica. For DBK's queer representative, Ludger Schepers, this is a shameful signal: The church doesn't need atonement, but self-criticism.



The queer representative of the German Bishops' Conference (DBK), Auxiliary Bishop Ludger Schepers, has condemned the "prayer of atonement" offered by several bishops following an LGBTQ pilgrimage to the Vatican. "It is a scandalous sign of ecclesiastical narrow-mindedness and an open rejection of all those who long for a church that truly lives the Gospel," Schepers told the Catholic News Agency (KNA) on Friday. Schepers is an auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Essen. The prayer is "not an act of faith, but an act of exclusion – an attempt to make queer people and their presence in faith invisible," the Essen auxiliary bishop continued.

"Prayer of Atonement" in the USA

The background to this prayer campaign was a prayer campaign conducted by four bishops – including former US Bishop Joseph Strickland, Kazakh Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Swiss Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Marian Eleganti, and Dutch Auxiliary Bishop Rob Mutsaerts. According to their own statements, they wanted to make amends for the "desecration" of St. Peter's Basilica by an LGBTQ pilgrimage in September. The prayer referred to "fornication" and "sodomy," and the pilgrimage was a "platform for legitimizing sins against the Sixth Commandment." The abbreviation LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.

Schepers contradicted the bishops. The pilgrimage was "not a protest, not a provocation, but a celebration of faith." It demonstrated "the vibrant diversity of people in the Church" who prayed, hoped, and believed together. "These pilgrims have not acted against the Church – they are the Church."

"They are the Church"

Auxiliary Bishop Calls for Church self-criticism

Schepers described the conservative bishops' reaction as "shameful." It exposes "a theological and pastoral attitude that has nothing to do with mercy or the spirit of Jesus." Those who ask for forgiveness for the mere presence of queer Christians demonstrate "not piety, but a fear of diversity – and thus a dangerous spiritual narrow-mindedness that betrays the Gospel."

The auxiliary bishop instead called for self-criticism from the Church: "There is no need for reparation for queer believers. True reparation lies with the Church itself – for the wounds it has inflicted on queer people over decades." The Church "cannot credibly speak of love as long as it rejects people who love." Those who close its doors distance themselves "from the heart of Christ."

Schepers concluded by emphasizing: "I dream of a church that finally understands: diversity is not a problem, but a gift. A church that no longer belittles anyone, but rather exalts them. A church that truly believes that God's love is unconditional—for everyone, without exception. For whoever excludes people excludes Christ himself." Queer refers to people who are not heterosexual or whose gender identity does not conform to societal role models. Among them, people with a same-sex orientation are arguably the largest group.

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