An initiative by a German Catholic millionaire to offer €500 to families who baptise their child has been criticised by the Diocese of Augsburg, which says that baptism is an obligation.
The initiative, called Starnberger Schutzengelchen (“Little Starnberg Guardian Angel”), is being financed and led by investor Peter Löw.
Löw, who is based in the Starnberg area, set aside €20,000 for up to 40 baptisms in 2026.
The spokesperson for the Diocese of Augsburg said that combining the Sacrament with a financial aspect, “however well-intentioned”, leaves a “stale feeling”. The diocese stated that, whilst people are free to gift to others, Baptism is entitled to everyone if conditions are met.
A diocesan spokesperson told Katholisch.de: "Catholic parents are even obliged to have their children baptised as soon as possible and to bring them up in the Christian faith. Since there are no costs for the church celebration of baptism, the financial aspect, which is brought to the fore in the 'Starnberg Guardian Angel' campaign, is unlikely to be decisive for a decision against baptism.”
Between 2020 and 2024, the Catholic population of Germany decreased by more than two million, going from 26.7 per cent to 23.7 per cent. During the same time period, Germans with no religious affiliation increased by around five million, accounting for an increase of about six per cent.
The period also saw decrease in the administration of the sacraments. From 2023 to 2024, there were 15,000 fewer baptisms and 5,000 fewer weddings. Furthermore, about 322,000 Catholics left the Church, excluding deaths. Bavaria, where Löw is based, was the region most affected by people leaving the Church.
In 2025, the trend continued. According to the German Bishops’ Conference, despite a slight increase in Mass attendance, both baptisms and weddings declined again, as did Church burials. Twenty-five priests were ordained in the country.
The reason for the number of people leaving the Church may partly be economic. Leaving the Church in Germany relieves one of the obligations to pay the Church tax, a fee which is taken out of salaries. In most German dioceses, the tax accounts for the vast majority of diocesan revenue.
Bishop Heiner Wilmer of Münster, Chairman of the Bishops’ Conference, said that while First Communion and Confirmation numbers have remained stable, he regretted the “still high” amount of people leaving the Church.
The bishop said: “The motives are different, and yet I say – because we are a community of believers through baptism and confirmation – that every departure from the church hurts us. We are becoming fewer Christians in Germany, which does not stop us from bearing witness to our faith with a high level of personal commitment – despite all the necessary measures that are associated with it.”
Nevertheless, the Church in Germany has seen areas of growth. The attendance at a German traditional pilgrimage organised by the Fraternal Society of St Peter (FSSP) is set to double this year. The pilgrimage, which will take place from September 10 to 13, will be the seventh Cologne-Kevelaer pilgrimage organised by the FSSP.
Co-organiser of the pilgrimage Bernhard Weiskirch said that the event, which attracts predominantly younger Catholics, shows “a strong interest in the traditional liturgical forms, especially among the younger generation”.
Sister pilgrimages organised by the FSSP in France and Spain number in the thousands of participants with an average age of mid-20s.
Weiskirch said: “We are experiencing greater interest in the pilgrimage year after year, the number of participants is steadily increasing: We already have twice as many registrations as at the same time last year. The positive development of our pilgrimage thus corresponds to the European trend.”
