German Catholic Youth Groups Turn Out in Force to Celebrate Pride

Over 100 representatives of Catholic youth groups took part in Christopher Street Day (CSD), an LGBTQ+ Pride celebration in Cologne Germany.

These Catholic youth walked alongside representatives of #OutInChurch, a German Catholic LGBTQ+ network, and Young Caritas, an organization dedicated to the social commitments of young people, according to katholisch.de.

Cologne Cathedral

“At the CSD in Cologne, we want to once again demonstrate together that you can be queer and Catholic,” said Sarah Bonk, chairwoman of the Cologne diocesan association of the League of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ). This group represents eleven Catholic youth associations representing around 50,000 members. Those who participated in the CSD parade sought to set an example of inclusion and call out the discrimination against queer people in the church and the broader society, which has included past criticism and backlash against other Catholic groups which have participated in CSD celebrations. 

Shortly before this year’s Christopher Street Day, several rainbow flags were torn down from churches in the Cologne area. Among the affected churches was the Catholic Church at Krieler Dömchen, where the St. Stephan Youth Choir is based. The St. Stephan Catholic Youth Choir has been involved in CSD for several years, most recently through performing at the opening of Cologne Pride this year.  Choir director Michael Kokott commented:

“It is certainly no coincidence that the flags were torn down during CSD wee. Unfortunately, it has become common practice to express one’s reluctance with this form of criticism.”

For Ramona Kielblock, the chairwoman of #OutInChurch, the Church must do more to counter the LGBTQ-negative attitudes that lead to such acts. Unfortunately, the Church “adheres to anti-queer teachings, thus providing fertile ground and arguments for the rejection of queer people,” she remarked. She  and other members of the gathered groups view their participation in CSD as having critical importance: it provides visibility, signals acceptance, and demonstrates how the Church can be a place of welcome. 

As mentioned, this is not the first time Catholic organizations and youth have participated in Christopher Street Day. Various Catholic youth associations and other groups like #OutInChurch have maintained a presence in the celebration for several years, with certain Catholic parishes becoming involved for the first time last year. 

Despite some criticism (particularly online) of their involvement, participants have said that at the parade itself, the reception is overwhelmingly positive. According to Meike Müller, who works for the Catholic Youth Community (KjG) the young Catholics are generally received at CSD events with warmth and gratitude for their participation. The general consensus,  Müller notes, seems to be, “It’s good that queer people are part of the church and are advocating for change.” 

The visibility of Catholic youth at these events is crucial, says Müller. “Youth organization work shows that things can be different.”

For the Catholic youth themselves, participating in Christopher Street Day and celebrating Pride are ways of showing and celebrating who they truly are: fully Catholic and fully queer. 

—Phoebe Carstens, New Ways Ministry, July 14, 2025