German Businessman Offers €500 to Support Baptisms

An unusual initiative by German millionaire Peter Löw has sparked a debate over whether offering a financial reward for the baptism of children is problematic. The businessman is offering €500 ($580) to every child baptized in the Catholic parish in Starnberg, with the assistance intended for the first 40 children under the age of three, according to Katholisch.de.

Moral theologian Rupert Scheule commends the effort to support families and the future of the Church, but at the same time points out that such a contribution could be seen as a "sacramental reward" for receiving baptism.

He considers the creation of a parish fund, which would cover the costs for families who cannot afford the celebration, to be a more appropriate solution.

Löw explains that the goal of the project is to remove financial barriers to baptism and rejects the notion that this is an attempt to "buy" believers.

He emphasizes that the gift is not tied to any obligations and that the child is free to choose their own path in life in the future.

(mja)