DID you know that Pope Ratzinger has an older brother?
Georg Ratzinger and his brother the Pope
Yep, Georg Ratzinger – about to turn 85 – is a prelate in Regensburg, and right now he is about as popular as a chlamydia, thanks to a planned 100,000 euro birthday bash which is to be paid for with money raised from Catholic taxpayers in Germany.
The cash, according to the Telegraph, will be spent on a Mozart’s Mass in C-Minor performed for him in the Sistine Chapel next year. A German church choir of 90 singers and 37 musicians from the Linz baroque orchestra L’Orfeo in Austria will be flown to Rome for the January 15 event.
The German magazine Focus originally broke the story, in which it was claimed that the costs of the festivities would be covered by the Regensburg diocese, mainly from money taken off the so-called Church Tax, a levy unique to Germany and Austria that was introduced by Adolf Hitler. The dictator wanted to make the Church less popular by taxing all practising Catholics in the Third Reich, but the regulation has survived his rule and maintains to this day.
The news about the Pope’s brother’s exclusive birthday party was met with criticism by Catholic associations from his own Regensburg diocese, who objected to the decision to finance the bash with the Church Tax.
“Georg Ratzinger should be able to have the party, but it must not be financed by Church Tax money,” said Sigrid Grabmeier, spokesman of the Regensburg diocese laity association We Are The Church, adding that such monies were intended to sponsor pastoral care in hospitals and similar charity projects.
Prelate Ratzinger and the Regensburg diocese were not available for a comment.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
October 27th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
The only good thing about that tax is that you can choose not to pay it if you can show that you’re an atheist.
This consists of seeing someone at the town hall, and saying “ich bin Atheist / Gottesleugner.”
And, of course, this being Germany, you get a certificate to PROVE it!
October 27th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
yeah, differently from what happens in italy!!!
Here when you pay taxes you have to choose to give 8‰ to a religious movement (islam not included) or to the State. If you don’t care and avoid choosing (as the majority does) the money is redistributed to the same religious movements, proportionally to the preferences of those who minded to choose (i.e. mainly to catholic church). If you choose State, be ready to hear about extra donations (to catholic church again…)
October 29th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
The church tax in Germany is 10% levied on the income tax. When one becomes a taxpayer in one’s first job one is asked which religion one belongs to. To be exempted from paying church tax one has to make the request in writing to the tax office. At least that is what I had to do in 1957.
As for the diocese of Regensburg having to cough up for the “Enforcer’s” birthday bash, SERVES THEM RIGHT. It is surely ungodly to complain and a sin.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
The statement, that church-taxes are "nazi-taxes" is bullshit. sorry, but it was the "Weimar Constitution" that established the church tax in Germany, not the nazis. First do a proper research then go on to write something in your hatered.