Heart and Soul - Germany's turbulent priest
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The German Catholic church is one of the most influential and richest in the world. It is at the epicentre of Catholic theology, debates over the future of the church, and the sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic faith all over the world. Revelations over priests accused of child sexual abuse being protected from consequences by church institutions continue to emerge, with a recent bombshell report even linking Pope Benedict with the scandal from his time in Germany. Many are losing confidence in the church's ability to adapt, and are leaving Catholicism for good.
Wolfgang Rothe is one of a new generation of Catholic thinkers; he does things from his Parish in Bavaria that for many are still unthinkable. He presides over blessings for same sex couples, gives women the opportunity to preach in his church, and advocates for an end to celibacy for priests. He has also become something of a celebrity on social media, bringing his campaign to a wider audience. He hopes that by keeping up with modern values, the Catholic Church can win back an increasingly disillusioned generation of German worshippers.
BBC correspondent Damien McGuinness heads to Munich to meet Wolfgang, exploring what his movement is trying to do, and the immense ructions its causing in the Catholic world, where the church's traditional values are still sacrosanct. As Wolfgang's mission gains momentum, it could tear the whole church in two.
Presenter: Damien McGuinness
Producer: Robert Nicholson
A Whistledown production for the BBC World Service
Published on Sunday, 13th March 2022.
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