BERLIN — In a wide-ranging interview, the head of the German bishops' conference called for far-reaching changes to the Catholic Church and criticized the Vatican's treatment of the church in his country.

"I would describe myself as conservative because I love this church and enjoy devoting my life and my strength to it. But I want it to change," Limburg Bishop Georg Bätzing told the magazine Herder Korrespondenz. His remarks were reported by the German Catholic news agency KNA.

Among other things, Bätzing suggested changing church teaching on LGBTQ rights. The Catholic Church says gay sex is "intrinsically disordered," but LGBTQ people are to be treated with "respect, compassion and sensitivity" and without discrimination.

Bätzing also wants church blessings for couples who cannot marry in the Catholic Church.

"We need solutions that are not only effective in private, but also have public visibility — yet make it clear that no marriage is being solemnized," he said. In addition to gay couples, for example, people who remarry after a divorce are not allowed to marry as Catholics without the first marriage being annulled. Read more via CNN