Leo XIV Appoints German Bishop: "If Women’s Ordination Comes, Why Not?"
Today, Leo XIV appointed the rector of the seminary, Rev. Johannes Zehe, 62, as the new auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hamburg, Germany.
Monsignor Zehe initially studied music in Berlin and worked as a violin teacher and orchestral musician before being ordained a priest in Hamburg in 1999.
Career Within Hamburg’s Establishment
He owes his career to Hamburg’s Archbishop Stefan Heße who appointed him rector of the seminary in 2023 and has now evidently put him forward for appointment as auxiliary bishop.
However, Archbishop Heße of Hamburg is strongly pro-homosexual. Since June 2025, the archdiocese has been embroiled in a major controversy. Under the title “Male, Female, Diverse: Framework Concept for Sexual Education in the Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Hamburg,” a 33-page document breaks with core Catholic teachings on sexuality and relationships.
Monsignor Zehe himself is not regarded as an internal opponent of the current direction.
However, his own online …More
"a nők érvénytelen pappá szenteléséről kérdezték, homályosan válaszolt, hogy ezt nem igazán tudja elképzelni. Hozzátette azonban: „Ha a teológia továbbfejlődik, és ha olyan mélyebb magyarázatok merülnek fel, amelyeket világszerte elfogadnak, nem veszíteném el emiatt a hitemet."
Dogma:
"3. Az egyházirend szentségének fölvevője. Tétel. Az egyházirend szentségét csak megkeresztelt férfi veheti föl érvényesen."
Min vitatkozunk és elmélkedünk?
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"When asked about the invalid ordination of women, he responded vaguely that he could not really imagine it. However, he added: “If theology develops further, and if deeper explanations emerge that can be accepted worldwide, I would not lose my faith over it. I am not a great advocate of women priests. But if it were to happen - why not?’"
Dogma:
“3. The recipient of the sacrament of Holy Orders. Article. Only a baptized man may validly receive the sacrament of Holy Orders.”
What are we debating and reflecting on?