Catholic Church in Germany lost another 400,000 members last year, rate of departure decreased from 2022

Official data released on Thursday revealed that another 400,000 Germans officially left the Catholic Church last year, but this was less than the record set in 2022 as church authorities struggled to address calls for change and move past a long-running scandal involving abuse by clergy.

According to the German Bishops’ Conference, 402,694 individuals abandoned the church in 2023. Although it was less than the previous year’s 522,821, that amount was still the second-highest to date. Simultaneously, 4,127 individuals returned to the church and 1,559 new members joined, with both figures roughly matching those from 2022.

In addition to the ordinary taxes paid by the general public, those who are officially affiliated with a church in Germany also contribute to its funding through what is known as the “church tax.”

They will no longer be required to pay that if they register their departure with the local authorities. Low-income individuals, the unemployed, pensioners, students, and others are excluded in some cases.

By year’s conclusion, the Catholic Church in the nation boasted a membership of almost 20.35 million people. In their yearly statistical overview, the bishops’ conference omitted information about the causes of the departures.

However, a lot of people have abandoned the church recently as a result of the controversy involving abuse by clergy and other individuals.

German bishops and a powerful laity group spearheaded the “Synodal Path,” a three-year reform initiative that was characterized by conflicts between liberalizers and conservatives and outright hostility from the Vatican, in reaction to that crisis. At last year’s final assembly, the church was asked to bless same-sex unions.

Though it did begin this year after Rome first insisted that German bishops forgo a vote on the statutes of a committee that is meant to clear the way for a future decision-making council consisting of bishops and laypeople, the follow-up process has also been characterized by conflict with the Vatican.

Catholics and Protestants make up about equal numbers of the German Christian population, and the Catholic Church is not the only one losing members.

The Protestant Church said in May that, with over 380,000 formal withdrawals from the church last year, it had 18.56 million members, roughly the same number as in 2022. It has also struggled with cases of prior abuse.