German Catholics will be denied Holy Communion or a religious burial if they refuse to pay church tax

Germany's Catholic Church will deny worshippers the right to Holy Communion and religious burials if people do not pay a special church tax. A newly-enforced German bishops' decree says anyone failing to pay the tax - an extra 8% of their income tax bill - will no longer be considered a Catholic. All people in Germany must pay this tax if they want to worship in either Catholic or protestant churches, or Jewish synagogues.Read more