23.08.2026 16:05
Andreas Unfried, a 63-year-old Catholic priest who has served for 37 years in Oberursel, Hesse, Germany, has announced he will step down from his post to marry a woman with whom he has secretly been having a relationship for a long time.
Andreas Unfried, a 63-year-old Catholic priest who has served in Oberursel in the German state of Hesse for 37 years, has announced that he will leave his post to marry the woman with whom he has long been secretly having a love affair.
"SEXUALITY EXISTS IN LIFE ITSELF"
Andreas Unfried, the priest of the St. Ursula Catholic parish in Oberursel, stated in a two-page letter also sent to Limburg Bishop Georg Bätzing that he could no longer continue the celibate life, which requires celibacy and sexual abstinence in the Catholic Church.
Unfried emphasized his deep commitment to the Catholic Church and the priesthood, saying, "Priesthood and religious service have always been a duty I performed with all my heart," but he noted that he had to admit that celibate life was a trait he did not possess.
LIVED A "SECRET LOVE" WHILE IN OFFICE
Unfried, who revealed that he had been secretly with the great love of his life for many years, said, "I could not have sustained these 37 years without the support of my life partner."
Stating that as he approaches retirement, he no longer wants to hide his relationship, Unfried said, "She waited for me for a long time. I am grateful to her for that. Enough is enough. The love for the woman with whom I have shared my life for a long time is calling me."
Unfried's decision to leave his post and marry his girlfriend has caused surprise in the Catholic community in Oberursel.
The priest, acknowledging that his decision will disappoint many, said, "I hope that one day this decision of mine will be accepted."