Queer Voices Were Strong at Germany’s ‘Catholic Day’

The queer prayer service at Catholic Day in Germany.

During Germany’s biennial ‘Catholic Day’, queer voices emerged loud and proud in both their worship and their calls for reform.

Once every two years, Katholikentag (‘Catholic Day’) brings together thousands of Catholics in Germany for multiple days of presentations, panel discussions, workshops, and worship services. This year, the conference was held in Würzburg and featured several opportunities for LGBTQ+ Catholic voices to be heard. The theme for the event was “Hab Mut, Steh Auf!” (“Have courage, stand up!”), taken from the gospel story of the lealing of Bartimaeus, a blind man (Mark 10:46-52).

According to katholisch.de, more than 200 people attended a queer worship service held during the event, with the line of those eager to enter extending outside the church. The service, entitled “Life is Colorful – Diversity in the Church?!”, included words of strength, support, and blessing, with an emphasis on the need for the unconditional recognition of the human dignity of all people.The service was held in Würzburg’s Augustinian Church.

“In the past, such services took place on the margins; today, we are right in the middle of it all,” said one of the event’s organizers. The service was prepared by the initiative #OutInChurch, the Augustinian Monastery in Würzburg, the Federation of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ), the Network of Catholic Lesbians, the Ecumenical Working Group on Homosexuality and the Church (HuK), and “Queer and Christian in the Diocese of Würzburg.”

The prayer aid for the service which reads “Have Courage, Stand Up.”

HuK also published on their website a call of Catholic Reform Forces in light of Catholic Day. Over 30 Catholc reform groups joined this call for reform in the church, which stated, in part: 

“Amidst the immense challenges and upheavals confronting our Church and our society, we are witnessing a turning point in history—one that demands courageous reforms across all areas and at every level,. This can only be achieved through unity and solidarity. As reform-minded Catholics, we are motivated by the liberating vision of Jesus—by the love of God and neighbor—which calls upon us to work concretely toward a more just Church and a more just world.”

In their call for reform, organizers advocate for a church that acknowledges the lived realities of its members, especially the most marginalized. They advocate for a church “that takes participation and democracy seriously” and “that finally confronts the systemic causes of sexual and spiritual abuse.” They encouraged all to be involved to create “a Church without fear”:

“We call upon all people—young and old, singles, couples, divorcees, and queer individuals alike:’Have courage! Stand up!’ Get involved, make your voices heard, advocate for the marginalized, shape the Church in your local communities, and let a breath of fresh air blow through the house! For a Church without fear—an open home where we live out and celebrate diversity and difference.”

In the spirit of this call for reform, members organized a human chain from St. Kilian’s Cathedral to the Augustinian Church (about 400 meters, about a quarter of a mile). Organizers titled the human chain “I Want You to Be…” in support of gender justice within the Church, in conjunction with the initiative #meingottdiskriminiertnicht (“My God Does Not Discriminate”).

In each of these examples, LGBTQ+ Catholics made it clear that they are active and present members of the church in Germany– not simply asking for recognition, but rather claiming their place at the table and calling boldly for reform.

—Phoebe Carstens, New Ways Ministry, May 29, 2026