People leave the church. Nothing new. There are many reasons. Christian Parth explains its. Laura Hassel names hers for staying in.
Journalist Christian Parth has made his reasons for leaving the church public on Facebook. He belonged to the Catholic Church for 40 years. Not super religious, but has been behind the church for a long time. He has always been happy to pay church tax, he says, because there are people in the church who have helped other people with their charitable concept: "That was always important to me, to support these people."
Slow clarification of abuse cases reason for resignation
The abuse scandal in the church, which has been discussed in public worldwide for months, has given him the reason to turn his back on the church. Not that it has come to this, but because the clarification within the church is proceeding so slowly, would have moved him to the resignation.
Although Pope Francis held an abuse summit in the Vatican, but this had become a farce for Christian. For him, this means that the church has no will to enlighten. "Now I must make a clear decision and set also for me a signal", according to Christian Parth.
Church can be home and refuge
Laura Hassel is 23, studies social work and is a volunteer in the Catholic Church in Essen. She is the leader of the Catholic young community (KjG). Yet, as she says herself, she did not grow up in a particularly Catholic family. She found her way to the church herself – through the KjG.
The KjG has shown her the importance of community, as a place where she finds home and refuge and is accepted as she is.
In fact, for Laura, there is also friction between her attitude and the official church guidelines. But two reasons were decisive for Laura why she stayed in the church, why she is still active there and why she wants to help shape the church.
Renewing the church from within
One is the KjG, she says, through which she has always associated faith with something positive. On the other hand, she believes that she can renew the church system from the inside out by voicing criticism and providing food for thought. She wants to talk to people in the church in order to initiate a process.
It is in the KjG that Laura sees her own views represented, advocating equal action for men and women in the church and sexual diversity.
Appreciation of victims and prevention
Laura can understand the reason why Christian left the church. She also wonders how abuse could take place in her church. But instead of quitting, she advocates for strong prevention and wishes for victims to find peace and be empowered despite the injustices they faced.
- 19. April 2019
- Moderator: Jenni Gartner
- Interlocutor: Christian Prath, ex-Catholic and journalist, and Laura Hassel, student and leader of the KjG Essen
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