The death of Christof May, head of the seminary, has caused shock in the diocese of Limburg.
"Death hits us very hard, causes dismay and bewilderment and leaves many questions in its wake," said a statement on Friday.
May was found lifeless on Thursday.
The police have started a death investigation and, according to the findings so far, assume a suicide.
The death of the 49-year-old priest is very depressing for everyone in the diocese and beyond, especially for Bishop Georg Bätzing, those responsible for human resources and the diocese management, the diocese said in a statement.
Bernhard Biener
Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung
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In a personal conversation, the Limburg bishop, who is chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, heard the Regens of the seminary on Wednesday about allegations of encroaching behavior.
The diocese writes that he proceeded in accordance with the ecclesiastical regulations.
Subsequently, Bätzing released him from all offices in order to be able to examine and clarify the allegations.
Sincere condolences to the family of the deceased.
"At the same time, our thoughts are with those who reported the allegations." Everything will be done to stand together in the diocese in this truly challenging situation.
Since 2018 Episcopal Vicar for Church Development
May grew up in the Westerwald and studied at the philosophical-theological University of St. Georgen in Frankfurt and at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he also received his doctorate.
Before he took over the Catholic community in Braunfels in 2008, he was chaplain in Königstein, Kronberg and Wiesbaden.
In 2018 he became head of the seminary and episcopal vicar for church development in the Diocese of Limburg.
The following year, Bätzing appointed the theologian a member of the seven-priest cathedral chapter in which one seat was vacant.
The college assists the bishop in the governance of the diocese, is responsible for worship in the cathedral, and has the privilege of electing a new bishop from a list presented by the pope.
May was not only one of the highest-ranking priests in the diocese of Limburg and a confidante of Bätzing.
He had also spoken out clearly in favor of reforms in the Catholic Church.
His sermon for Thanksgiving Sunday 2020, which was broadcast on the Internet due to the Corona regulations at the time, attracted particular attention.
In it, May advocated opening the priesthood to women and homosexuals, not excluding divorced people who remarried, and blessing same-sex couples.
A municipality in the Westerwald posted the recording on its Facebook page, where it has been viewed more than 170,000 times since then.
“He was a real beacon of hope”
The recently elected president of the diocesan assembly in the diocese of Limburg, Gerhard Glas, was also shocked by the death of the episcopal vicar on Friday.
"He was a real beacon of hope." Irrespective of the allegations now raised, the content of which he does not know, May had made a decisive contribution to the synodal committees.
"Our sympathy goes to his parents, friends and companions." The church is experiencing a tremendous break, said Glas.
That is why the bishop is in demand as a bridge builder between those for whom change is too slow and those for whom it is too fast.
The Diocese of Limburg only recently hit the headlines in connection with allegations of encroachment.
A parish officer and a Protestant pastor, who was in training at the time, accused a pastor of having sexually molested them years ago.
Bishop Bätzing, who took office much later, took up the matter and reprimanded the priest.
However, Bätzing saw himself exposed to criticism because he had appointed the pastor district dean in the Westerwald at the end of 2020 - which prompted the women to make their experiences public.
The 64-year-old district dean resigned last week.
The bishop accepted the resignation and described the appointment as a mistake.
Two years ago he did not see that his decision could cause irritation and annoyance.
Bätzing asked the women for forgiveness.