Reformist German Catholic bishops get a dusty response from the Vatican

when a disgruntled Catholic priest in Germany clashed with the pope in Rome, the result was a bloody schism that five centuries later still divides Christians. Current rumblings between German Catholics and the Vatican sound less ominous. Yet the thing that most bothered Martin Luther, the sale of “indulgences” to wash away sins, was arguably no bigger a scandal than the exposure of priestly sexual abuse that has racked the Catholic church in recent years.As in the 16th century, anger with the priesthood has prompted introspection and calls for reform. These happen to be particularly noisy among German Catholics, who account for around half the country’s Christians (who in turn make up half of Germany’s population). Demand for changes such as letting women be priests, allowing the blessing of gay marriages and revising teachings on sexuality has grown so strong that much of Germany’s Catholic clergy now supports them. This includes a majority of the country’s bishops, 62 of whom travelled to Rome in mid-November for a five-yearly visit to the Holy See.