German Bishops discuss Synodal Path

Dresden Cathedral. Vasily Malygin on Unsplash

Source: Vatican News, DBK

The German Bishops' Conference (DBK) is holding its springtime meeting in Dresden this week, (27 February-2 March).

67 Bishops are taking take part in the assembly. The main topic is the Universal Church's synodal process launched by Pope Francis in 2021, and the parallel German Church's 'Synodal Path' which is reaching its final stage.

The national discussion was launched by the bishops and the Central Committee of German Catholics in 2019 with the stated aim of addressing the Church's clerical sexual abuse crisis by debating and passing resolutions on how the Catholic Church needs to approach questions of sexuality and the exercise of power, including doctrine and the sacraments.

Several proposals that have emerged from discussions include controversial issues like putting an end to mandatory priestly celibacy, Church approval of same-sex marriages, women's role in the Church, and laypeople participating in the election of their bishops.

The reform process, which has aroused reservations in the Vatican, including from Pope Francis, and some German Bishops, is expected to reach a turning point next week in Frankfurt with the establishment of a 'Synodal Committee' tasked with formally instituting a 'Synodal Council', an advisory body divided more or less equally between bishops and laypeople entrusted with making "fundamental decisions of supra-diocesan importance".

Referring specifically to recent exchanges between the Vatican and the German bishops on the latest developments of the process, in his greeting remarks to the session on Monday, the Apostolic Nuncio to Germany, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, reiterated that synodality in the Church is more "a matter of spirit and style" than of "structures".

"Rather than founding new institutions with the risk of further increasing bureaucracy, it is imperative to revive already existing diocesan bodies, such as the Council of Presbyters, the College of Consultors, the Pastoral Council or the Council for Economic Affairs, in a synodal spirit", he said.

The president of the German bishops' conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, on Monday rejected concerns that divisions over the national Synodal Path and its proposals would lead to a new schism in the Catholic Church, though he recognized that the process is complex and not "peaceful".

Before the opening of the Assembly's proceedings on Tuesday morning, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich-Freising called for more courage. In his homily in Dresden Cathedral he said: "Why are we so afraid of what is to come?"

He said the German experience along with the Universal Church synodal process is only "the beginning of a beginning" as the Second Vatican Council was.

Other important topics discussed during the German Bishops' plenary included the war in Ukraine; World Youth Day in Lisbon; diocesan issues related to sexual abuse in the Church, and aid to Turkey and Syria, after the recent earthquakes. The Bishops have announced a special collection on the second Sunday of Lent, for the two countries.

In a statement published on the DBK's website Bishop Bätzing has called on German Catholics to contribute generously to the collection and to pray for all victims and also for rescuers. "Let us demonstrate once again that solidarity is a Christian virtue!", he said.

The DBK is expected to release a final statement from their spring meeting later today. (2 March)