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The legacy of Regens Limburg lives on, serving as a reminder of the profound impact that one dedicated individual can have in advocating for change and spiritual renewal within the Catholic Church.
In today’s article, we talk about his life as well as his works and what actually led to his demise.
Regens Limburg’s Biography
Christof May was born in Hadamar, Germany, on April 8, 1973. Growing up in Hintermeilingen, he displayed an early interest in theology and philosophy.
May joined the Bundeswehr Stabsmusikkorps in Siegburg after finishing his education with the Abitur at the Fürst-Johann-Ludwig-Schule. In 1993, he began his studies at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in Frankfurt and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome to become a theologian and priest.
Bishop Franz Kamphaus ordained May as a priest at Sant’Ignazio in Rome in 2000. He received his PhD four years later in Rome, presenting a dissertation titled “Pilgern: Menschsein auf dem Weg” (Pilgrimage: Being Human on the Way). This paper investigated the significant spiritual experiences that pilgrims have during their journeys.
May’s Catholic Church career included a variety of pastoral and leadership duties. He was a chaplain in Königstein and Kronberg before moving on to St. Bonifatius in Wiesbaden.
During this time, he concentrated on nurturing faith communities at St. Michael and Heilige Familie, and he pioneered the City-Pastoral model, which aimed to bring the church closer to the people. In 2008, he was named parish priest for St. Anna in Braunfels and thereafter dean for the Wetzlar and Lahn-Dill-Eder districts.
May was appointed rector of the Bischof-Blum-Kolleg in Limburg a der Lahn in 2011. In this capacity, he was able to assist in the formation and education of future priests, ensuring that they were well-prepared for their pastoral responsibilities.
His knowledge and dedication led to his appointment as Regent of the Limburg Seminary in the spring of 2018, where he continued to focus on priest training. May also served as Bischofsvikar, supporting the bishop in topics pertaining to church development.
May campaigned for improvements within the Catholic Church throughout his career. He officially expressed his support for allowing homosexual couples, divorced and remarried couples, and women to the sacraments in a livestream ceremony during Erntedankfest on October 4, 2020.
He also pushed for couples from various Christian religions to have a common eucharist. May’s sermon went viral, with over 170,000 views after a small parish posted it on their website.
May’s life, however, took a sad turn on June 7, 2022, when he met with Bishop Georg Bätzing and learned of sexual assault allegations against him.
Following the German Bishops’ Conference norms, Bätzing relieved May of all duties awaiting an examination into the claims.
May vanished the next day, and his body was discovered in a forest near Eschenau after an exhaustive search. May committed suicide at the age of 49, according to the Limburg public prosecutor’s office.
May’s death shook the Diocese of Limburg, with Bishop Bätzing praising him as a well-versed theologian who was smart and full of ideas in his caring for people.
May was honoured for his dedication and enthusiasm in promoting the Christian message, always thinking of what people needed and advocating for the Church’s spiritual regeneration based on the Gospel. His death was keenly felt by the diocese, which remembered him as a diligent and well-respected pastoral worker.
On June 24, 2022, a requiem service was held at May’s hometown church, attended by friends, colleagues, and parishioners.
Regens Limburg’s Cause Of Death
Christof May who was a regen of Limburg died of suicide according to a report by the Limburg public prosecutor’s office.
