The homosexualist Franz-Josef Overbeck, who makes his living as the Bishop of Essen, Germany, commissioned 17 female and 1 male pastoral assistants as "extraordinary ministers of baptism" on Saturday.
Overbeck explained that he was reacting "to a pastorally difficult situation." Extraordinary (= ordinary) baptismal ministers exist worldwide only in Essen. CIC 230.3 says that lay people may baptise "when the need of the Church warrants it and ministers are lacking."
This need can be calculated. Essen Diocese's 2020 statistics list 2,827 baptisms and 502 priests and deacons. That is 5.6 baptisms per year for every minster. If only active clergy are counted (216 priests, 34 deacons), it is 11/12 baptisms per year (= one per month).
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