Bishop: Go Beyond Condemnations of Violence to Build Communities of Care

After the recent attack at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day, a German bishop has continued his condemnation of the incident, while at the same time issuing a strong statement calling upon Catholic churches to become safe spaces for queer people. 

Bishop Ludger Schepers

Bishop Ludger Schepers, Auxiliary Bishop of Essen and the German Bishops’ Conference’s representative for LGBTQ+ issues, issued his statement in support of “human dignity, solidarity, and responsibility” in the days following the violence at Berlin’s pride celebration. Speaking to online publication Kirche+Leben, he reflected on the role Catholic churches ought to play in protecting and uplifting the vulnerable:

“The attack on the Berlin Christopher Street Day compels us to take action. Anyone who defends human dignity cannot simply limit themselves to condemning violence. We must actively ensure that people find spaces where they can live, practice their faith, and experience community without fear. The Christian churches, in particular, bear a special responsibility in this regard.”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, Schepers noted, is a message of freedom, reconciliation, and love, and the mandate that it issues is clear: we must become communities wherein each person can experience the inalienable dignity that is bestowed upon them by God. 

“If the Church seeks to be the sacrament of God’s presence in the world, it must offer refuge precisely when human dignity is threatened or called into question. A ‘safe space’ is neither a passing trend nor a concession to the spirit of the times—it is a direct consequence of the Gospel. For where Christ encounters people, there can be no room for fear, exclusion, or denigration.”

And while it is unfortunately clear that the Catholic church has not always provided this kind of space to queer individuals, this does not have to remain only a painful wound– it can become the impetus for concrete change:

“Whenever the Gospel of liberation becomes an instrument of exclusion, the church contradicts its own mission. A painful contradiction has thus arisen between the message of God’s unconditional love and the experiences of many queer people in our congregations. This contradiction cannot be allowed to persist; it challenges us to turn around.

“The question, therefore, should not be whether our congregations ought to be safe spaces for queer people, but rather how we can live up to this standard with increasing credibility day by day. The persuasive power of our church’s witness is measured by this.”

These changeswill not happen merely through kind words or statements of solidarity:

“Our stance must be demonstrated through concrete action in language that shows respect rather than causing hurt; in congregations that open their doors rather than erecting barriers; and in pastoral care that offers protective accompaniment rather than hasty judgment.”

Schepers ended his statement with a clear message to Catholics everywhere: we must become communities that live the Gospel, and in order to do that, we must become spaces where queer people can find refuge:

“As Christians, we must never accept a situation where people are forced to live in fear because of their identity. Our response must be a church that becomes a place of refuge—a place where queer people find protection, genuine acceptance, and a spiritual home. The Gospel extends an invitation to everyone. It is up to us to make that invitation a tangible reality in our congregations.”

—Phoebe Carstens, New Ways Ministry, August 21, 2026