Marriage of vile synod-loving Francis bishop who wrote fake obituary for Archbishop Gänswein
He served as bishop in Peru until his resignation in 2024. Reinhold Nann, originally from the Archdiocese of Freiburg, has now married – without yet having been released from the clergy. The 65-year-old explains how this step came about.
Reinhold Nann, the former bishop of Caravelí in Peru of German descent, has married. As Nann (65) told the Catholic News Agency (KNA) on Friday, he has "recently" become civilly married and lives with his wife in Peru.
Nann, originally from Breisach am Rhein, was bishop of the territorial prelature of Caravelí in southern Peru from 2017 to 2024. A territorial prelature is a particular church within the Catholic Church equivalent to a diocese. Nann has been working permanently in the South American country since 2002.
He explained to the KNA that for a short time, he enjoyed the almost absolute power that the episcopal office gave him within his Church territory. "But then the sad reality caught up with me. I had probably idealized the image of the priest before." While he assumed there were some black sheep, he was convinced that the majority must be just as idealistic as he was. "The higher I rose, the clearer the extent of the abysses, tragedies, abuse, mediocrity, and lies became to me. I saw too much; I was horrified and depressed," Nann said.
The Challenge of Celibacy
Until now, Nann explained, he had lived and defended celibacy. "I fell in love a few times, but then quickly renewed my decision for celibacy. I felt almost like a hero, without noticing how I was becoming increasingly lonely and superficial." After the pandemic, he fell in love with his current wife. He resigned as bishop because he needed time to reflect and make decisions: "Depression was the trigger, love the reason." He subsequently spent several months in Germany, separated from his partner, seeking spiritual and psychological help. In December 2024, he informed the Vatican and the Archdiocese of Freiburg that he wished to relinquish the priesthood. However, the Vatican has not yet laicized him.
He does not expect any substantial reforms from the "Clerical Church" "in these turbulent times." However, he believes that the "crass clinging" to celibacy is causing "far more harm than good" to the Church. Nann pointed out that there was no mandatory celibacy in the Church at its beginnings.
After Bishop's resignation and wedding
Personally, he said, he had lost a lot: "my civil servant-like clerical status, my income, my civil service pension, my health insurance. My position in the Church, the respect and attention of many people. My faith in the institutional Church." In return, he had gained a partner who loved him, who was a perfect match for him, and whom he no longer had to hide. Furthermore, he had the freedom to be completely himself, independent of office and institution.
Nann described himself as "homeless" in the Church—he was looking for a new home. He wanted to try to live the Church more like an early church: "As a community of faith, beginning with my marriage as a house church, where I continue to exercise the common priesthood of all believers."
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