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Matthias Kopp, spokesperson for the German Bishops Conference (DBK), confirmed on February 17 that the bishops have withdrawn a vote on endorsing a committee responsible for preparing the Synodal Council.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

The heads of the Swiss, German and French bishops' conferences organised a "study day" held at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University last week.

It was attended by nine bishops, 17 professors and priests, and selected media representatives.

One report stated the study day aimed to explore various "pastoral innovations" ahead of the Synod on the Family in October.

Another reported aim was to reflect on a new "theology of love" that critics say would pave the way for Church recognition of same-sex relationships.

An Austrian Catholic news outlet stated many bishops who were "not sympathetic" to the issues discussed were "neither informed nor invited to the meeting".

But spokesman for the German bishops, Matthias Kopp, denied that the bishops "have an agenda to change Church teaching".

The study day included an in-depth look at Church law on the family - not just on annulments - and on biblical visions of the family, Mr Kopp said.

At their annual meeting in January, the presidents of the German, Swiss and French bishops' conferences decided that as part of their synod preparation they should "reflect together and bring together experts not just from one country".

The French Catholic agency I.Media said much of the discussion "focused on welcoming the divorced and remarried in the Church, in light of the Scriptures, but also morality".

Among the points made by individual participants, the agency said, were: Church teaching and discipline are not immovable, but develop over time and "a second marriage can be an authentic union".

Other points individuals made were: the indissolubility of marriage is an ideal or "utopia" to strive for; that God may be present in a stable and faithful homosexual union, but the union is not a marriage; that the Church must find a language that is less "blunt" or harsh to speak about people in situations that do not measure up to the Gospel ideal.

Sources

• Catholic Herald
• National Catholic Register
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