A German Catholic group appealed on May 8 to the country’s bishops to unite with Rome amid a day of protest at the Vatican’s “no” to same-sex blessings. The initiative “Maria 1.0” called on the bishops to stop the blessing celebrations for same-sex partnerships planned by some priests for May 10.
In a May 8 statement, Clara Steinbrecher, leader of the group, said: “The planned blessing celebrations are a targeted pro-vocation in the direction of Pope Francis and should therefore be omitted by the priests.”
CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner, said that she urged priests and bishops to “accompany people in all life situations pastorally and compassionately” while preserving unity with Rome.
Maria 1.0 is inviting “all Catholics and people of good-will” to say a decade of the rosary on May 10, thus expressing their bond with the Virgin Mary and the whole Church. “We call on people to ask the Blessed Mother Mary to intercede with Jesus Christ so that he may keep the bishops and priests in unity with the pope and the whole Church,” Steinbrecher said.