"There was a remarkable willingness to listen and also question our own view of our counterpart," she told the German Catholic news agency KNA Sept 5.

"I found it fruitful, even where it was sometimes confrontational. In my view, it was a good first step and I am open to continuing."

The ZdK gained international prominence when it co-sponsored the synodal way with Germany's bishops in 2019.

The initiative, which brought together bishops and select lay people at five assemblies, ended in 2023 with 150 pages of resolutions calling for women deacons, a re-examination of priestly celibacy, lay preaching at Masses, a bigger lay role in selecting bishops, and a revision of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on homosexuality.

Read More

Conference president Bishop Georg Bätzing says under half of Germany's citizens still belong to Christian denominations.

Evangelisation in Germany has been a central theme since the time of Pope St John Paul II he says.

"But the other half [who aren't Christian] are not simply faithless or don't ask any questions and, in this respect, I believe we need to do much more" Bätzing says.

"We should get in touch with these people, talk to them without being intrusive. The times of a mission with a negative tone are over, but speaking and answering questions about the hope that fills us, as the letter to the Hebrews says, is part of Christianity."

Losses by the number

Bätzing's own Diocese of Limburg exemplifies the reduction in the Catholic faithful of Germany.

In 2016, over 630,000 Catholics resided in Limburg. By 2022, there were fewer than 540,000.

The overall Catholic population in Germany has likewise significantly decreased.

In 2020, there were approximately 22.19 million Catholics among the country's 83 million population. By 2022, this number had fallen to 20.94 million.

Projecting the future

In 2019, scientists at the University of Freiburg predicted the number of Christians paying church tax (a requirement for practising Christians) in Germany would halve by 2060.

The Bishops' Conference says that within three years over 500,000 baptised Catholics had left the Church.

At that time, Bätzing wrote on his diocese's website that the "alarming" figures showed the necessity of continued "cultural change" and for the German Synodal Way resolutions to be implemented.

However the German Synodal Way, which has advocated for significant changes, has not changed the haemorrhaging Church numbers.

In 2021 CNA Deutsch reported that a third of Catholics in Germany were considering leaving the Church.

Older people cited the Church's handling of the abuse crisis. An earlier study had said that younger people didn't want to pay church tax.

Excommunication and evangelisation

The German Bishops' Conference says leaving the Church results in automatic excommunication.

Many theologians and canon lawyers disagree with this view.

Pope Francis prefers to focus on evangelisation.

He wrote to German Catholics in 2019, urging them to focus on evangelisation amid a "growing erosion and deterioration of faith".

Relying solely on internal strengths doesn't work, he wrote.

"Every time an ecclesial community has tried to get out of its problems alone, relying solely on its own strengths, methods and intelligence, it has ended up multiplying and nurturing the evils it wanted to overcome."

In September 2021, a motion to emphasise evangelisation was narrowly passed.

Exactly a year later, Bätzing said the shortest definition of religion was "interruption".

Some forms of continuity which people seek from religion are "frankly suspect" he said.

Source

• Catholic News Agency

This letter, and the broader debate it represents, is emblematic of a Church at a crossroads.

It's a Church grappling with the need to maintain unity and doctrinal integrity while also engaging with the diverse realities of the global Catholic community.

The contention centres on the proposal by the German Church to establish a Synodal Council that would effectively share decision-making power between the bishops and the laity.

This proposal challenges the traditional hierarchy, where decision-making power has been predominantly vested in the ordained clergy, particularly the bishops.

Vatican response

The Vatican's response, citing Canon Law to argue against the proposed power-sharing arrangement, underscores a fundamental ecclesiological tension.

This is how the Church interprets and applies its laws in the face of evolving demands for inclusivity and participation from its members.

The resistance from Rome can be seen as a protective measure for the traditional culture of power through ordination.

With its rich tapestry of implicit and explicit theologies, Catholicism relies on semiotic codes like liturgy, hierarchy, and management to facilitate a global yet locally nuanced faith experience.

These codes, especially the symbolic code of ordained power, are crucial in maintaining the Church's unity and doctrinal consistency across diverse cultural contexts.

Contemporary concerns

The debate over the German proposal is not merely about ecclesiastical governance but touches on deeper questions of identity, authority, and the nature of the Church itself.

It highlights the challenge of balancing Catholicism's universal and local dimensions, a tension that is not new but has taken on new urgency in the contemporary context.

The letter to the German bishops and the discussions it has generated reflect broader themes within the Church, such as the struggle to articulate a vision of catholic unity that respects and incorporates diversity.

This struggle is not limited to the relationship between the clergy and laity but extends to theological and pastoral practices, liturgical rites, and ecclesial management.

Therefore, the German push for a synodal model of the church can be seen as part of a wider intra-church dialogue about adapting and evolving in a rapidly changing world while remaining faithful to the core tenets of the faith.

...vs African bishops

There is opposition from certain quarters of the Church, notably some African bishops, in response to the document on same-sex and irregular blessings, Fiducia Supplicans.

The document underscores the diverse ways in which different parts of the global Church interpret and prioritise the challenges they face.

The African bishops' rejection, framed in terms of an "African exceptionalism" that resists perceived Western moral relativism, contrasts with the German bishops' attempt to address the demands of their local context through structural reform.

Some clergy in Africa have even gone as far as to accuse the West of new colonialism through LGBTQ activism.

Culture, theology, governance, synodality

This juxtaposition of responses to the Church's challenges today illuminates the complex interplay between cultural context, theological interpretation, and ecclesial governance.

It raises important questions about how the Church can remain a unified body while respecting and incorporating the rich diversity of its global community.

A synodal Church as envisioned by the German proposal and broader ecclesial discussions, offers a potential pathway through this complex terrain.

By fostering a culture of listening and dialogue, a synodal approach promises to enable the Church to navigate better the tensions between unity and diversity, tradition and innovation.

Synodal Church - a new identity

The response to the German bishops' proposal demonstrates that the path toward a more synodal Church is fraught with challenges.

The critical question facing the Church today is not whether it will change but how it will change.

The current debates over synodality, ecclesial governance, and the role of the laity are not mere administrative concerns but are fundamentally about the identity and mission of the Church in the 21st century.

As the Church navigates these waters, it must find ways to honour its traditions while also responding to the legitimate aspirations of its members for greater participation and representation.

In conclusion, the curial letter to the German Bishops' Conference and the subsequent discussions it has generated represent a pivotal moment in the life of the Church.

The letter and ensuing discussions reflect a Church in dialogue with itself, struggling to reconcile its foundational beliefs with the pressing demands of a diverse and changing world.

The outcome of this dialogue will shape the future of the Church's governance and its ability to witness the Gospel in an increasingly pluralistic and interconnected global community.

• Dr Joe Grayland is currently a visiting professor at the University of Tübingen (Germany). For nearly 30 years, he has been a priest of the Diocese of Palmerston North in New Zealand.

The council was intended to be a mixed body of laity and bishops governing the Church in Germany. It was scheduled for discussion during a February 19-22 plenary assembly in Augsburg.

Matthias Kopp, spokesperson for the German Bishops Conference (DBK), confirmed on February 17 that the bishops have withdrawn a vote on endorsing a committee responsible for preparing the Synodal Council.

The development comes after the DBK received a letter from the Vatican shortly before the start of the plenary session.

"This letter requests that the General Assembly — also due to upcoming discussions between representatives of the Roman Curia and representatives of the German Bishops' Conference — not vote on the statutes of the Synodal Committee" Kopp told Germany's Catholic News Agency (KNA).

Although not explicitly listed on the publicly available agenda, the vote on approving the committee's formation was widely anticipated during the DBK assembly.

The decision to remove it from the agenda is notable. It marks a rare instance of Vatican pressure influencing the DBK's progression with a Synodal Way priority since its inception in 2019.

Dialogue with Rome

The DBK chairman, Bishop Georg Bätzing, said the letter's timing "surprised" him.

At the same time, Bätzing emphasised unity with Rome. He said it was a matter of course to comply with this request "out of respect for the Roman authorities".

There is a high interest among the bishops in staying in dialogue with the Roman authorities.

"We will use the time to discuss the objections from the Roman side, to derive consequences from them and to prepare the talks" Bätzing said.

"We do not and cannot simply ignore the Roman objection. Now, we need to talk."

Meanwhile Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna has urged German bishops to heed the Vatican's warnings and maintain dialogue.

Speaking to "communio.de" Schönborn supported Rome's critique of Germany's reform plan, including the establishment of a Synodal Council. He also cited concerns over lay involvement conflicting with Church doctrine.

Schönborn further warned against actions leading to schism and urged loyalty to the Pope.

"I am impressed by the patience with which the Pope and the Roman dicasteries are trying to remain in dialogue with the German bishops and maintain unity and communion" the Cardinal emphasised.

The current conflict between the German bishops and Rome is not about "questions of power" or disciplinary issues, Schönborn added.

"Rather, Pope Francis is fulfilling his core task of maintaining unity in the faith" because it is about the "basic understanding of the Church".

Sources

Catholic News Agency

Crux Now

Katholisch

CathNews New Zealand

In his letter to priests, deacons and lay pastoral workers last week, Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann officially sanctioned the blessings.

The same-sex blessings the Speyer diocese gave in the Speyer churches could also be given to remarried couples, he wrote.

At the same time, the ceremony "must differ from a church wedding ceremony in terms of words and signs...".

In addition, it "should explicitly reinforce the love, commitment and mutual responsibility in the couple's relationship as an act of blessing" Weissmann wrote.

Wiesemann says he decide to write the letter after taking into account the German synodal way participants' percent support for the blessings.

The participants endorsed a document calling for "blessing ceremonies for couples who love each other" he says.

The document asked for a "handout" about the blessings to be developed for German dioceses' use.

It should cover "suggested forms for blessing celebrations for various couple situations (remarried couples, same-sex couples, couples after civil marriage)."

Pastoral response

It is "urgently time" for a different perspective "to find a pastoral attitude inspired by the Gospel", Weisemann's letter says.

Many pastors have been practising this "for some time".

This is important, "especially against the background of a long history of deep hurt" he wrote.

"Many couples' prayers for blessing reveal a deep longing to be able to live their lives together under the protection and guidance of God.

"...This is to be taken seriously and points to ... God's presence wherever there is goodness and love.

"Both with regard to believers whose marriages have broken down and who have remarried, and especially with regard to same-sex oriented people, it is urgently time ...

"That's why I campaigned for a reassessment of homosexuality in Church teaching in the synodal way and also voted for the possibility of blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples."

He said he hoped the global synod "can also experience positive development."

Wiesemann's fervent hopes may yet be dashed however.

October's synod on synodality's first session wrap-up report did not mention same-sex blessings or even "LGBT".

Vatican view

In 2021 the Holy See said the Church does not have the power to offer liturgical blessings for same-sex unions.

However, the Pope recently addressed the 'same-sex blessings' topic in response to several dubia cardinals posed ahead of the synod.

It is a matter of pastoral prudence to "properly discern whether there are forms of blessing, requested by one or more people, that do not convey a misconception of marriage" Pope Francis told the cardinals.

"Decisions ... need not be transformed into a norm" he wrote.

His cautionary words may be too late.

Support for same-sex blessings is already established in Belgium.

A matter of choice

Wiesemann says pastors won't be compelled to bless couples.

"... but my request also means that no one who carries out such blessings has to fear sanctions" he stresses.

Until the German bishops' conference completes the handout, Weismann says pastors should refer to an AFK publication called "The celebration of blessings for couples".

Source

• The Pillar

A new book, "The Synodal Process Is a Pandora's Box: 100 Questions and Answers," addresses the "serious situation" brought on by the synod, Cardinal Raymond Burke (pictured, centre) says.

Pope Francis is risking confusion and even schism in leading the upcoming Synod on Synodality in Rome, Burke writes in the book's preface.

"Synodality and its adjective, synodal, have become slogans behind which a revolution is at work to change radically the Church's self-understanding, in accord with a contemporary ideology which denies much of what the Church has always taught and practised," he continues.

It should concern all Catholics "who observe the evident and grave harm" that it has brought on the church.

The word synodality, the cardinal added, is "a term which has no history in the doctrine of the Church and for which there is no reasonable definition."

It leads to "confusion and error and their fruit — indeed schism," he says in the preface.

He backs this view citing the German Synodal Path, where church leaders consulted with lay and religious Catholics in Germany between December 2019 and March 2023.

Female ordination and blessing same-sex couples were among the issues the German consultation explored.

"With the imminent Synod on Synodality, it is rightly to be feared that the same confusion and error and division will be visited upon the universal Church. In fact, it has already begun to happen through the preparation of the Synod at the local level," Burke wrote.

The only way to uncover the "ideology at work" within the Vatican and "undertake true reform," was to turn to the "unchanging and unchangeable doctrine and discipline of the church," Burke's preface says.

He entrusted to the Virgin Mary his prayer that "the grave harm which presently threatens the Church be averted."

The synod on synodality

Francis's aims for the synod are to promote inclusivity, transparency and accountability in the Church.

After three years of world-wide consultations with Catholics, bishops and lay Catholics will gather in Rome in October under the rubric of "Synodality: Communion, Participation and Mission."

Agenda items drawn from concerns Catholics raised in diocesan forums include LGBTQ Catholics' inclusion and female leadership.

Those topics have convinced conservative Catholics that the synod will lead to changes in Catholic doctrine on questions of morality and sexuality.

The authors, the publisher and Burke

Co-authors José Antonio Ureta and Julio Loredo de Izcue are South American scholars and activists.

The publisher Tradition, Family and Property says "despite its potentially revolutionary impact, the debate around this synod has been limited primarily to ‘insiders' and the general public knows little about it."

Burke has long been a vocal opponent of Pope Francis's vision for the church.

He and three other cardinals publicly questioned Francis's decision in "Amoris Laetitia" for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the Eucharist. Burke has also criticised efforts in the church to promote the welcoming of LGBTQ faithful.

Source

• Religion News Service
• America Magazine

Bonny and the other Flemish bishops of Belgium introduced a blessing for same-sex couples in September 2022.

They also published a handout outlining suggested liturgy and prayers.

The bishops' based their decision to go ahead with the same sex blessings on Pope Francis' 2016 apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia.

Bonny denies the blessings present a conflict of conscience, even though he is going against a definitive 2021 Vatican ruling that the Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions.

The Vatican has "different positions and developments", he says.

"Rome is not just a document or a cardinal. No, Rome is also unity in diversity."

Neither Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni nor the Diocese of Antwerp responded to media requests for further clarification.

Bonny's mission

Bonny has long pressed for greater acceptance of homosexual relationships within the Catholic Church.

In March he told the German Church's Synodal Way that during the Flemish bishops' ad limina visit last November, the Pope neither approved nor denied such blessings.

He said it was the Flemish bishops pastoral domain so long as they were all united.

He and his brother bishops "speak with one voice; there are no divisions or subgroups on this subject," he claimed.

Flemish bishops do not have the same tensions with Rome that mark the Church in Germany. He put this down to the Flemish bishops internal unity on "big issues" and being a small bishops' conference.

Some think Bonny influenced the German Synodal Way meeting in March to allow same-sex blessings.

"It is a ministry of unity in the Church, unity in diversity," he said.

What the Vatican says

In March 2021 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stressed that blessings are sacramentals. They have "singular importance" in the Church's liturgy.

As such, they can be imparted only on that which conforms to the nature of sacramentals.

God, the CDF said, "does not and cannot bless sin."

This clarification was not meant to be "a form of unjust discrimination," the Vatican said. Instead, it was a "reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite and of the very nature of the sacramentals, as the Church understands them."

Bishop Bonny strongly criticised the CDF ruling.

He said it was contrary to the "dynamic" of the 2015 Synod on the Family and undermined the "credibility of the ‘synodal path' advocated by Pope Francis."

Source

• National Catholic Register

The resolution, called "Life in succeeding relationships - The principles of renewed sexual ethics," was voted on by the synodal meeting's 209 participants, of which more than two-thirds voted in favour.

However, the resolution failed to gain the support of two-thirds of the synod's bishops. Despite 61% of voting German bishops supporting the resolution, 21 bishops who voted 'no' prevented its passage.

The resolution argued that it would not be possible to reorient pastoral care without redefining the Church's sexual teachings significantly. It stated that it is "urgently necessary to overcome some of the restrictions in questions of sexuality, for reasons of sexual science as well as theology."

The resolution also contended that "same-sex sexuality - also expressed in sexual acts - is … not a sin that causes separation from God, and it is not to be judged as intrinsically bad."

Following the vote, delegates spoke for over two hours about the decision. Many expressed frustration with the bishops' votes, saying that they had not listened to their people and that their decision would harm German Catholics and foment division in the Church.

The synodal way's official social media accounts reported that Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German bishops' conference, said he was "personally disappointed with this vote" and that "the practice of synodality has not yet gone far enough."

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, former president of the bishops' conference, also said that he was "very disappointed." He said that the bishops must publicly stand by their positions and justify them.

Irme Stetter-Karp, co-president of the synodal way and leader of the lay-run Central Committee of German Catholics, said after the vote that she believed bishops had not expressed their real views during the debate.

"There is one point in which I am particularly disappointed: that there are bishops in this assembly who are not prepared to voice their opinions," she explained.

The lay leader voiced her frustration: "Why do we invest so much energy and time? For our Church. And that's why I'm staying here. Even if I ask myself the question: Who knows whether this is the right investment of time?"

Sources

The Pillar

Katholisch

CathNews New Zealand

Last September, the German archdiocese of Paderborn took up the synodal path initiative's reform proposal titled "Involvement of the faithful in the appointment of the diocesan bishop."

By drawing lots, it chose 14 lay Catholics who would join the 14 members of the cathedral chapter in selecting a list of candidates that the chapter submits to the Pope.

The way bishops are appointed in German dioceses differs according to the rules laid down in the concordats between different German states and the Holy See.

In Paderborn, the 14 members of the cathedral chapter draw up a list of possible candidates and submit it to the Vatican. The Vatican then chooses three names from the list and sends them back to Paderborn. The chapter then selects one of the three candidates as archbishop.

Read More

In a letter to the German Bishops' Conference president dated March 29, Cardinal Arthur Roche (pictured) said neither was possible — despite at least one German diocese already announcing both practices.

The written intervention by the Vatican's prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments was addressed to Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, reported CNA Deutsch who has obtained a copy of the document.

The seven-page letter Bishop Georg Bätzing also reminded the German bishops that liturgical translations must be confirmed and approved by the Vatican.

On the issue of homilies, Roche wrote that the reason why laypeople cannot regularly preach at Mass is not due to their need for "better theological preparation or better communication skills."

He stressed that this did not mean there were inequalities among baptised Catholics, but rather "that there are discernments made by the Spirit, which produces different charisms that are different and complementary."

Cardinal rejects laypeople conducting baptisms

The cardinal also rejected the introduction of laypeople regularly administering baptisms, something already in practice in some German dioceses.

He wrote that justifying this, for example using a lack of priests, for example, was not possible under canon law.

Laypeople could validly perform baptisms only in exceptional circumstances, such as in danger of death or "in painful situations of persecution, but also in mission areas and in other cases of special need," the cardinal explained.

He said that such conditions "do not seem to exist in any diocese in the area of the German bishops' conference, based on the data from the papal yearbook on the clergy available."

Responding to Roche's communication, a spokesperson for the German Bishops' Conference on Thursday said the bishops would continue to seek dialogue with Rome on these issues.

A spokeswoman for the powerful lay Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) told katholisch.de that the Vatican letter was a welcome sign of Rome's interest in the consequences of the synodal way in Germany.

"Talks in Rome are overdue and are in the heartfelt interest of Catholic civil society in this country," said Britta Baas.

She added: "In just a few years, no one will be able to seriously oppose lay sermons and baptisms by lay people if the Church still wants to have meaning for the local people. We already have a glaring shortage of priests."

Sources

Catholic News Agency

The Pillar

CathNews New Zealand

Measured by international media attention alone, German Catholicism would appear to be a commanding presence on the world stage, pioneering radical changes to Church teachings and practices.

But could it be that, paradoxically, its influence within the wider Catholic Church is declining?

Consider the following developments:

• When Pope Francis announced the new line-up of his Council of Cardinals March 7, a notable name was missing: that of German Cardinal Reinhard Marx. The Archbishop of Munich and Freising had served on the "C9" since its creation in 2013.
• When the Vatican unveiled the preparatory commission for October's synod on synodality in Rome March 15 none of the seven members was from Germany.
• Following the election of new leaders of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) March 22, the German Church no longer has a representative on the body's presidency. Previously, Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen had served as one of four vice-presidents.

This could all be written off as a coincidence, but it might also be part of an emerging pattern in which Germans are perceived as either too controversial or lacking in team spirit to be selected for international Catholic bodies.

An economic force - but for how long?

The German Church's wealth does, of course, ensure that it continues to wield significant global influence. Its generosity toward Latin America, Africa, and the Vatican no doubt create expectations of reciprocal support, or at least encourage tolerance of its contentious innovations.

The German Church received a staggering 6.73 billion euros from its church tax in 2021 ⁠— the second-highest figure on record ⁠— despite losing more members that year than ever before.

And yet, there is widespread recognition in Germany that the peculiar situation in which church tax income keeps rising despite a record number of Catholics leaving the Church will not last forever.

The Diocese of Aachen is reportedly preparing for a scenario in which church taxes are halved by the middle of the 21st century. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Eichstätt in Bavaria has just announced strict cost-cutting measures.

Eichstätt diocesan official Thomas Schäfers said March 16: "The financial consequences of the ongoing Church crisis are hitting our diocese with a force that we did not expect on this scale."

With German dioceses embracing austerity, it's possible that German Catholicism may struggle to provide the same level of funding to the worldwide Church in the coming decades. That would have a knock-on effect on its influence, though obviously that's a much less significant consideration than the impact it would have on Catholics in the developing world.

A land without an ambassador

In the years following the Second Vatican Council, German figures have always played a notable role on the Catholic world stage. Major personalities have included theologians such as Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI and Cardinal Walter Kasper, and well-connected churchmen such as Cardinal Karl Lehmann.

• Luke Coppen is The Pillar's Senior Correspondent. He edited the U.K. Catholic Herald from 2004 to 2020 and was Europe editor of the Catholic News Agency from 2020 to 2022.
• First published in The Pillar. Republished with permission.

The five-page document, "Blessing ceremonies for couples who love each other," was passed by 176 votes for, 14 against, and 12 abstentions at its second reading. The vote formally adopts it as a resolution of the synodal way.

The document calls on bishops to "officially allow blessing ceremonies in their dioceses for couples who love each other but to whom sacramental marriage is not accessible or who do not see themselves at a point of entering into a sacramental marriage."

"This also applies to same-sex couples on the basis of a re-evaluation of homosexuality as a norm variant of human sexuality," it explains.

The German bishops supported the text by 38 votes in favour, 9 against, and 11 abstentions.

Maria 1.0, an organisation that seeks to support traditional Catholic doctrine, tweeted after the vote: "Only nine German bishops vote against a blessing form for homosexual couples. Eleven bishops appear to have no opinion and abstain. Incomprehensible."

The move comes after months of discussions as part of the German Catholic Church's "Synodal Way," a process of reform that aims to address issues such as clerical celibacy, women's roles in the church, and homosexuality.

Document defies the Vatican

However, the document appears to defy a 2021 Vatican declaration that "the Church does not have, and cannot have, the power to bless unions of persons of the same sex".

During the debate, Bishop Gregor Maria Franz Hanke of Eichstätt warned against the proposed move, saying that he hoped "this step is not going to tear us apart the way the Anglican Church finds itself torn apart".

Last month, after the Church of England decided to allow the blessing of same-sex relationships, a dozen leading archbishops, most in the global South, called for a break with that church, the historical progenitor of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

At Friday's debate in Frankfurt, Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen said, to applause from the assembly, "I pay attention to what is happening in Africa, but I expect others to respect what we are doing here as well".

Blessings of same-sex relationships by Catholic priests have been common in Germany for years, with the tolerance of many bishops there, but Friday's vote gives unprecedented official approval to the practice.

Sources

The Pillar

Wall Street Journal

CathNews New Zealand

Speaking days before the March 9-11 gathering in Frankfurt, the initiative's co-president Irme Stetter-Karp expressed surprise at the German bishops' plan to submit changes to documents that may struggle to gain a two-thirds majority of episcopal votes.

"All delegates, bishops and laity alike, had several weeks to make amendments, and now the deadline has passed," she said in a March 5 report published by Germany's Welt newspaper.

Stetter-Karp, the president of the powerful lay Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), suggested that participants in this week's assembly should decide whether further alterations are permitted before texts are put to the vote.

Read More

In the letter— dated February 23 and published March 1 — Bishop Georg Bätzing writes that the German bishops take the Vatican's "concerns" about a German synodal council seriously.

The message is addressed to Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and to the prefects of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Jesuit Cardinal Luis Ladaria, and the Dicastery for Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, PSS.

The German bishop tells the cardinals a German "synodal committee" would prepare a synodal council over three years. This move, Bätzing writes, is "a sign that there is still a great need for clarification regarding future synodal cooperation."

Read More

Bishop Georg Bätzing wants Germany's bishops to support the prospect of liturgical blessings for same-sex couples.

The German Catholic news agency KNA says the German bishops' leader's agenda will call for "a common line in favour of blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples" at the bishops' plenary assembly.

The gathering is taking place just days before the final scheduled meeting of Germany's controversial Synodal Way.

The Synodal Way has been a multi-year initiative bringing together bishops and select lay people to discuss far-reaching changes to Church teaching and structures.

Among the documents scheduled for discussion at the 9-11 March synodal assembly is a paper advocating same-sex blessings.

The paper defies a Vatican declaration in 2021 that "the Church does not have, and cannot have, the power to bless unions of persons of the same sex".

Nonetheless, the document - "Blessing ceremonies for couples who love each other" - is due to have its second reading at next month's meeting in Frankfurt.

It could them be formally adopted as a Synodal Way resolution.

Bätzing has previously expressed support for same-sex blessings. He has said publicly that he intends to seek a united front on the issue at the bishops' Dresden meeting, however.

A press release announcing the plenary meeting noted that the 65 members of the German bishops' conference will discuss "the current issues of the synodal way, especially with a view to the fifth and thus last synodal assembly".

It doesn't mention any specific topics though.

Several German bishops have publicly backed same-sex blessings, while others s have expressed opposition.

If German media reports are accurate, Bätzing may be seeking to avoid a repeat of the scenes at the last synodal assembly in September.

That prompted protests when the bishops unexpectedly failed to pass a text calling for a change in the Church's approach to sexual ethics.

KNA claims the March synodal assembly will address a potentially "even more controversial" document on gender issues.

The text, "Dealing with gender diversity," will also have its second reading in March.

The draft document condemns the "wilful negative politicisation of intersex and transgender persons in the Church and in society".

It also says "all ordained ministries and pastoral vocations in the Church should be open to the intersex and transgender baptised and confirmed who sense a calling for themselves."

Source

• The Pillar

Kasper, who is the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity's President Emeritus, points to the Second Vatican Council's path in synodal fellowship.

The Church would have a future only if it continued on that path - a path that the German synodal path "had failed to take," he says.

This won't mean acting like bookkeepers, but "in creative loyalty and synodal fellowship by listening to God's Word and to one another together.

"In my and other people's opinion, the German ‘synodal' gives the impression that it can and feels it has to discover a new Church and must push through its own agenda."

As the German way forward has "unfortunately failed", he says he puts all the more hope in the World Synodal Process Pope Francis has launched.

The Catholic Church's future must concentrate on the Gospel Message and the "wounds of the world", not just itself, he says.

The Council should not be seen as a break with tradition but as a "new departure to a more alive and comprehensive understanding of tradition and catholicity".

To do justice to the Council as a whole, it is necessary to go deeply into the Council's texts and editorial history. This is a theologically challenging and demanding undertaking that is still ongoing, Kasper notes.

At the same time, the Council and its documents had meanwhile become a part of church history, he says.

Francis belongs to a post-Council generation who regard the decisions and documents as facts from which it is necessary to think further.

"And that raises the question of the yet undetected future potentials in the Council texts," Kasper points out.

The question of the Church's relationship to the world must be re-examined, he says.

The corresponding Council document "Gaudium et spes" was determined by an "optimistic outlook" of the time, Kasper recalls.

Since then, secularisation and the priestly sexual abuse crisis have led to a massive loss of trust in the Church. They have also made the "crisis of faith in God" more visible. That was something unforeseen at the time of the Council, Kasper says.

In the Western World today, atheism and widespread indifference to the question of God are common.

This means renewing church structures is "irrelevant for the majority of people and is only of interest for church employees", Kasper says.

It also means regarding the question of God, post-conciliar theology must go "deeper than the Council was able to" and look into the "metaphysical homelessness of modern human beings."

The ongoing debates on church reform would benefit from another look at what the Church constitution Lumen Gentium said on the common priesthood of all the faithful, Kasper says.

The Council highlighted the co-responsibility of the laity, but that did not mean that there was "rivalry or opposition" between lay Catholics and priests and bishops, he stresses.

>Source

• The Tablet

Stephanie Rieth (pictured) began her new role in April, in the German Diocese of Mainz.

She says she's not surprised by the lack of reaction in Rome to the new arrangement, although it constitutes a unique "model" in Germany.

"I am not surprised ... because the possibility of creating this office lies within the scope of the power of each diocesan bishop," she says.

"Nevertheless, it needs courage, because it is about a change in the Church's understanding of leadership."

The Code of Canon Law says bishops must appoint a vicar general to help them administer their dioceses.

The Code also sets out the personal and professional qualities expected of vicars general.

They must be "priests not less than 30 years old, doctors or licensed in canon law or theology or at least truly expert in these disciplines, and recommended by sound doctrine, integrity, prudence, and experience in handling matters."

When Rieth was appointed, the Mainz diocese explained its Bishop Peter Kohlgraf had issued a decree in the official gazette setting out the new office's legal basis.

"As the representative of the vicar general, Rieth will not only be able to represent him in all matters internally and externally, but will also independently carry out the vicar general's tasks in his place," the diocese said.

"This authorisation does not affect tasks or activities that are reserved for a cleric because of their sacramental or liturgical connection."

The vicar general's office automatically ends with the current bishop's resignation. The decree stated that the vicar general's representative would remain in office when the see falls vacant.

A description of Rieth's role on Mainz diocese's website says while there is "a kind of dual leadership" between the vicar general and Reith as his representative, "nothing is taken away from the office of the vicar general."

"He authorises and can also decide on the scope of the authorisation," it says. "This is the basis of canon law."

"Together with the auxiliary bishop ... I want to use the framework provided by canon law to the full, and to develop it to the best of my ability," says Rieth.

"But we deliberately do not go beyond that, because we want to show: Reform is possible, within the system."

The controversial German "synodal way" is currently seeking greater lay involvement in Church governance.

Delegates recently backed a proposal for a permanent "synodal council" composed of lay people and bishops.

They would "take fundamental decisions of supra-diocesan significance on pastoral planning, future perspectives and budgetary issues of the Church that are not decided at the level of the dioceses."

In July the Vatican said the synodal way has no power "to compel the bishops and the faithful to adopt new ways of governance and new approaches to doctrine and morals."

Source

• The Pillar

Some forms of continuity people seek from religion are "frankly suspect," the president of the German Catholic Bishops' Conference asserts.

Bätzing made the comments during the bishops' plenary assembly in a live-streamed Mass on Tuesday.

In his homily he said "all too surely asserted continuities, ... according to the motto ‘that has always been so; that has always been believed so; what was wrong yesterday cannot be right today' ... are frankly suspect".

The "great images in which God's people spelled out their historical experiences with faith and recognised God's guidance in them," he said.

It is indeed "in our human nature to seek bridges between yesterday and tomorrow, to draw temporal lines and discover meaningful connections — which is often only possible in retrospect," he explained.

"We seek continuity. But the shortest definition of religion is and remains ‘interruption,' as Johann Baptist Metz put it."

Metz was an influential German priest and theologian who died in 2019.

The German bishops' plenary meeting has been overshadowed by two events. One is the recent turbulent meeting of the Synodal Way. The other is the abuse report in the Osnabrück diocese.

The report includes strongly incriminating statements about Bishop Franz-Josef Bode.

Bode has refused to resign, although a report published last week says he mishandled abuse cases.

He has been vice president of the German bishops' conference since 2017 and is the vice president of the German Synodal Way.

Bode has publicly supported women deacons and the idea of developing a Church ceremony for blessing same-sex unions.

At the latest meeting of the Synodal Way, participants voted to change the Church's teaching on a number of related topics, including homosexuality and the ordination of women.

Source

• Catholic News Agency

The country's bishops initiated the "Der Synodale Weg" in 2019 in the wake of a damning report that showed the vast extent of the clergy sex abuse crisis. The aim of the Synodal Way has been to restore trust among the Catholic people in Germany.

Last Saturday, the Synodal Path delegates meeting in Frankfurt voted to create an "advisory and decision-making body," known as the synodal council. They will "advise on major developments in the Church and in society".

It will also "take fundamental decisions of supra-diocesan significance on pastoral planning, future perspectives and budgetary issues of the Church that are not decided at the level of the dioceses".

However, the Vatican declaration in July states the synodal way has no power "to compel the bishops and the faithful to adopt new ways of governance and new approaches to doctrine and morals.

"Prior to an agreed understanding at the level of the universal Church, it would not be permissible to initiate new official structures or doctrines in the dioceses, which would represent a wound to ecclesial communion and a threat to the unity of the Church," it said.

The three-day meeting was due to discuss 14 texts, with nine to have their second reading. But only eight texts were considered, with four passing their second reading.

On the first day of the assembly, meetings were suspended due to protests and walkouts. The voting proposal for the Pope to open a discussion for changes to Catholic sexual ethics failed to achieve a two-thirds majority of the bishops.

The text was approved by 88% of the synod assembly, but by only 61% of the bishops who were present.

The proposed document called for revising Catholic teaching on issues such as contraception, same-sex partnerships and gender identity.

Meetings were suspended while bishops and lay delegates attended separate crisis meetings. The incident raised doubts of some bishops to participate in the reform process.

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, the president of the bishops' conference, and the leadership of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) - called what happened a "crisis".

Read more at: https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/germanys-synodal-path-hits-a-bump-in-the-road/16583

"The problem is not the result of the vote, but the lack of visibility of those opposed," said Bishop Bätzing.

"We had no warning of this disaster," lamented Mirjam Gräve, a laywoman and member of the forum that prepared the text.

"There were no proposals from the opponents to change the text. This is systematic blocking in a process that is supposed to be synodal," she said.

The texts that were passed will be presented to the pope by German bishops in the November "ad limina" visit.

Smaller meetings will be held to discuss the synodal forums, the priesthood, women in the Church and sexuality before meeting again in Frankfurt on March 9-11 for final votes on the initiative's remaining documents.

Sources

Pillar

La Croix International

CathNews New Zealand

The vote took place on the second day of the plenary session. The document "Women in ministries and offices in the Church" was facing its second reading.

The text does not call directly for the ordination of women as deacons and priests but says "for generations, many women have known that they were called by God to be deaconesses or priestesses".

The document proposes that "in future, it should no longer be gender that decides on the allocation of ministries, but the vocation, abilities and skills that serve the proclamation of the Gospel in our time.

"It is not participation by women in all the Church's ministries and offices that requires justification, but indeed the exclusion of women from the sacramental ministry," the document says.

The Pillar, a catholic publication, reports that of a total of 205 votes, 182 voted in favour and 16 against, with 7 abstentions.

Adoption of the document required a two-thirds majority of the German bishops, 45 of whom voted in favour and 10 against. There were 5 abstentions.

Proponents of the document repeatedly addressed the synodal way's minority, urging them to voice their objections and trying to anticipate their concerns.

Procedures were altered with votes no longer cast anonymously but by name.

The Pillar also reports participants standing and applauding the announcement.

The result was a surprise change.

On Thursday, a minority of Germany's Catholic bishops blocked a measure calling on Pope Francis to liberalise church teaching on sexuality.

After the Thursday voting figures were released, there was a protest and some participants left the meeting.

Bishop Georg Bätzing (pictured), chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, told the assembly that the vote was a huge disappointment. He added that the outcome had created a "crisis-like atmosphere" in the meeting.

Bätzing called on all members to accept the result.

The statement on sexual ethics called for removing traditional prohibitions against contraception, homosexual acts and masturbation and for permitting the blessing of same-sex unions.

"The teaching that regards sexual intercourse as ethically legitimate only within the framework of a legal marriage and only in the constant openness to the procreation of offspring has led to a far-reaching rupture between the Magisterium and the faithful," the statement said, referring to the church's teaching authority.

Sources

• Wall Street Journal
• Catholic Culture
• The Pillar