page_title: Franz Kamphaus
section_title: Limburg
hierarchical_section_title: Franz Kamphaus / Career / Limburg
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Bild: Franz Kamphaus, Bischof von Limburg (auf dem Abschlussgottesdienst der "Tage der Begegnung" anlässlich des 20. Weltjugendtages
context_page_description: Franz Kamphaus is a German Catholic priest, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Limburg. He was bishop of the diocese from 1982 to 2007. He was the only German bishop to oppose Pope John Paul II in the matter of counseling pregnant women in conflict situations. Before being bishop, he taught pastoral theology and homiletics at the University of Münster; afterwards he became minister of a home for people with physical and mental disabilities in Aulhausen.
context_section_description: On 3 May 1982 pope John Paul II announced Kamphaus as bishop of Limburg. He was ordained on 13 June by cardinal Joseph Höffner. He chose as his motto "Evangelizare pauperibus" ("preach the gospel to the poor"), quoted from Luke 4:18.
  Kamphaus lived in an apartment in the Priesterseminar, while a family of refugees lived in the bishop's residence. He spoke of a "Bundesrepublik Erde" (Federal Republic Earth) granting peace, freedom and justice for all, and said that Christians need to stand side by side with the victims, the hungry, the injured, those who flee and cry.
  
  In 1999 Kamphaus was the only German bishop who opposed the pope in the matter of Schwangerschaftskonfliktberatung, the counseling of pregnant women in difficult situations. In his diocese, women were able to receive "Beratungsscheine" (certificates after counseling) which made unpunished abortions possible. He said that prayer and meditation helped him to take the side of the women in need, against the pope. A papal decision of 8 March 2002 "stripped the bishop of his authority over the counseling centers in the Limburg diocese." Kamphaus said: "I am still convinced that our way of counselling women would save the lives of many more children". He also commented 
  that the Vatican's action would leave a "deep wound" in the German diocese, but said that he had concluded his resignation would not help to heal that wound. Instead, he said, he would continue to act as bishop, "wounded but unbroken" by the unusual disciplinary measure.
   A private association, "Donum vitae", took over the counseling, as in other dioceses before.
   
  From 1999 to 2006 Kamphaus was president of the Commission for International Church Affairs (de) of the German Bishops' Conference which is responsible for international collaboration and the dialogue between religions. He travelled to Africa, Asia and Latin America, requesting more solidarity and social justice.
  On his 75th birthday, Kamphaus submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI, who accepted it. A farewell service was held in a vespers service that day. His successor was Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst.
caption: The bishop at the final open air service of the diocese's "Tage der Begegnung" as part of World Youth Day, 15 August 2005
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