Kirchen
Kirchen (Sieg) is a town and Luftkurort (climatic spa) in the district of Altenkirchen (district), Altenkirchen in the north of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Sieg (river), Sieg, approx. 12 km southwest of Siegen. A ...
altar boy
An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian liturgy. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell, helping bring up the gifts, and bringing up ...
, sang in the church choir and served as an organist there. After his ''
Abitur
''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...
'', he entered the major
seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...
of the Diocese of Trier. He studied theology and philosophy at Trier University and Freiburg University, graduating in 1985.
As deacon he was assigned to Sankt Wendel. He was ordained a priest in Trier on 18 July 1987 by Bishop . He worked as assistant priest (''Kaplan'') at the pilgrimage church Maria Heimsuchung in Klausen and in the parish of in Koblenz until 1990. He then was vice-rector (''Subregens'') of the Trier major seminary until 1996. That same year he received his doctorate and became rector (''Regens'') of the seminary. One of his functions was the organization of the ''Heilig-Rock-Wallfahrt'' in Trier in 2012, a pilgrimage to the most important
relic
In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...
of the
Trier Cathedral
The High Cathedral of Saint Peter in Trier (), or Trier Cathedral (), is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the oldest cathedral in Germany and the largest religious structure in Trier, notable for its long l ...
, the
seamless robe of Jesus
The Seamless Robe of Jesus (also known as the Holy Robe, Holy Tunic, Holy Coat, Honorable Robe, and Chiton of the Lord) is the robe said to have been worn by Jesus during or shortly before his crucifixion. Competing traditions claim that the r ...
, which was displayed in the cathedral from 13 April 2012 for the first time since 1996.
On 1 November 2012, Bätzing was appointed
vicar general
A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop or archbishop of a diocese or an archdiocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vica ...
of the
Diocese of Trier
The Diocese of Trier (), in English historically also known as ''Treves'' () from French ''Trèves'', is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic church in Germany.Cathedral chapter
According to both Catholic and Anglican canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics ( chapter) formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese during the vacancy. In ...
Pope Francis
Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
on 1 July 2016. He was consecrated by Archbishop Rainer Woelki of Cologne on 18 September 2016.
Since 3 March 2020, Bätzing has been chairman of the German Bishops' Conference.
In May 2023 Cardinal Parolin, Cardinal Ouellet and Cardinal Ladaria Ferrer wrote a letter to Batzing as chairman of the German Bishops on the Synodal Way. It stated that the German bishops "are not empowered to create a governing or decision-making synodal assembly" made up of clergy and laity.
Positions
In 2019, Bätzing said that he would support a voluntary celibacy of priests. Bätzing supports the
ordination of women
The ordination of women to Minister of religion, ministerial or priestly office is an increasingly common practice among some contemporary major religious groups. It remains a controversial issue in certain religious groups in which ordination ...
in the Catholic church.
He has supported the secular legalisation of civic marriage between homosexual people who are "faithful in their relationship".
Bätzing is a proponent of intercommunion with Protestants and he gives the
Holy Eucharist
The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others. Christians believe that the rite was instituted by J ...
to any Protestant who asks for it.
In 2021 he, told KNA on that he was "not happy" that the Vatican had now decided to participate so determinedly in the debate on blessings for homosexual couples. He added that "It suggests that one wants to end the ongoing controversial theological discussions n the subjectin various parts of the World Church, including in Germany, as soon as possible".
In March 2022, in an interview with ''
Bunte
''Bunte'' (company's preferred spelling in capital letters) is a German-language weekly celebrity gossip magazine published by Hubert Burda Media. The first edition was published in 1948 under the name ''Das Ufer''. Under the leadership of Hub ...
'', he stated that sex outside of marriage is not a sin and that same-sex relationships are "OK if it's done in fidelity and responsibility".
In May 2022, Bätzing expressed disappointment that Pope Francis had not changed the teachings of the Catholic Church regarding homosexuality and women's ordination. Citing the public departure of Andreas Sturm, the former vicar general of the Diocese of Speyer who had left the Roman Catholic Church to join the German Old Catholic Church, Bätzing said that he too would consider leaving the church if he "got the impression that nothing would ever change."
In November 2022, Bätzing spoke at a news conference at the end of a week of talks between Pope Francis and Vatican officials on one side, and all of Germany's bishops on the other. Their focus was on the progressive Synodal Path, a series of conferences of the
Catholic Church in Germany
The Catholic Church in Germany () or Roman Catholic Church in Germany () is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Pope, assisted by the Roman Curia, and with the German bishops. The current "Speaker" (i.e., Chairman) of th ...
to discuss a range of contemporary
theological
Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of an ...
and organizational questions concerning the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, as well as possible reactions to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church in Germany. "As far as the ordination of women is concerned, for example, (the Vatican's) view is very clear, that the question is closed. But the question exists and it has to be elaborated on and discussed," Bätzing said. "All these questions are on the table (of the German Synodal Path) and all attempts to cancel them will not have success," he said. "Popes have tried to say the question (of women priests) is closed but the fact is that the question exists. Many young women say 'a church that refuses all of this cannot be my church in the long run.'"
In late August 2024, a week before the 2024 Thuringian state election, Georg Bätzing stated, that Christians could not vote for political parties like the
Alternative for Germany
Alternative for Germany (, AfD, ) is a Far-right politics in Germany (1945–present), far-right,Far-right:
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* Right-wing populism, right-wing populist and National conservatism, national-conservative p ...
Doctoral dissertation:
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Spiritual writings and published homilies
* ''Die Eucharistie als Opfer der Kirche'' (1986)
* ''Suchbewegungen'' (2000)
* ''Helfer im Einsatz Gottes'' (2001)
* ''Der Kreuzweg Jesu Christi'' (2003)
* ''Bleib doch bei uns, Herr'' (2005)
* ''Das Leben ausloten'' (2006)
* ''Gott der kleinen Leute'' (2007)
* ''Es gibt keine größere Liebe'' (2007)
* ''Nachgefragt. Hilfen zum Verständnis des christlichen Glaubens'' (2008)
* ''Beten üben. Anleitung zu einer christlichen Gebetspraxis'' (2009)
* ''Das Trierer Christusgebet. Entstehung, Auslegung und Praxis eines Elementes bistumseigener Gebetstradition'' (2010)
* ''Jesus Christus, Heiland und Erlöser. Impulse auf dem Weg der Erlösung'' (2011)
Diocese of Trier
The Diocese of Trier (), in English historically also known as ''Treves'' () from French ''Trèves'', is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic church in Germany.Georg Bätzing
Focus
Focus (: foci or focuses) may refer to:
Arts
* Focus or Focus Festival, former name of the Adelaide Fringe arts festival in East Australia Film
*Focus (2001 film), ''Focus'' (2001 film), a 2001 film based on the Arthur Miller novel
*Focus (2015 ...