Over 40 priests refused to sign the document, arguing it undermined Catholic doctrine.
In November 2022, Bonnemain announced he would not replace the diocese's exorcist, stating that cases usually require psychological help rather than spiritual exorcism, a move hailed by some as progressive but criticized by traditionalists. 3. Contextualizing "Another Departure" (2022-2023) 2022---Another-departure-because-of-Bishop-Bonnemain
A major controversy occurred in August 2022, when a female parish leader appeared to "concelebrate" Mass alongside a priest, a scene that went viral. Over 40 priests refused to sign the document,
The central driver of conflict in 2022 was a new code of conduct regarding the prevention of sexual and spiritual abuse, which Bonnemain made binding for all diocesan employees by mid-2022. While the video prompted a formal reprimand from
In addition to the code of conduct, 2022 saw several instances where Bonnemain was caught between progressive demands and conservative backlash.
While the video prompted a formal reprimand from Bonnemain to the involved pastors in Jan 2023, the incident reflected the tension within his diocese.
The August 2022 incident involved popular parish leader Monika Schmid, who left her position amid this brewing conflict, highlighting the strain on pastoral workers in the region.