Head of the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Dr Georg Bätzing, Writes Another Letter to Archbishop Aquila to Defend the Synodal Path in Germany
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In May 2022, Archbishop Aquila, of Denver, Colorado, wrote a second letter criticizing the German synodal path. He was one of the drafters of open letter of April 11th, 2022 (see link below), warning of potential schism, to the German bishops, now signed by more than 100 bishops, including 6 cardinals.
Archbishop Aquila wrote, “The Synodal Path does not simply address ‘structural’ concerns: it challenges, and in some instances repudiates, the deposit of faith. Documents of the Synodal Path cannot be read in any other way than as raising the most serious questions about the nature and binding authority of divine revelation, the nature and efficacy of the sacraments, and the truth of Catholic teaching on human love and sexuality...”
The April 11th Letter explains:
"In an age of rapid global communication, events in one nation inevitably impact ecclesial life
elsewhere. Thus the “Synodal Path” process, as currently pursued by Catholics in Germany, has
implications for the Church worldwide. This includes the local Churches which we pastor and the
many faithful Catholics for whom we are responsible.
In that light, events in Germany compel us to express our growing concern about the nature of the
entire German “Synodal Path” process and the content of its various documents. Our comments
here are deliberately brief. They warrant, and we strongly encourage, more elaboration (as, for
example, Archbishop Samuel Aquila’s An Open Letter to the Catholic Bishops of the World)
from individual bishops."
See Full Letter : https://archden.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Fraternal-Open-Letter-Germany-March-2022.pdf
Bishop Dr Georg Bätzing, head of the German Bishops' Conference wrote a reply to the Bishops. See Full Letter in English:
https://www.dbk.de/fileadmin/redaktion/diverse_downloads/dossiers_2022/2022-04-16_Antwortbrief-Bi.-Baetzing-an-Erzb.-Samuel-J.-Aquila-engl.pdf
Bishop Dr Georg Bätzing, also responded to the second letter by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, (Denver, Colorado – USA)
on the Synodal Path, 5 May 2022.
Bishop Dr Georg Bätzing, also responded to the second letter by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, (Denver, Colorado – USA)
on the Synodal Path, 5 May 2022.
To Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila (Denver, Colorado – USA)
regarding his second letter, dated 3 May 2022:
Your Excellency,
Thank you for your personal response to my letter of reply to the letter signed by more than 70 bishops.
The email below with which you send me your letter makes it clear that I am not the sole addressee of your letter. "The reply will become public soon" indicates that it is again an open letter, which wants to reach and gather the critics of the Synodal Path in the Church. You are
entitled to do so. However, please also understand that I will no longer respond to such open letters. The fact that I did so the first time is due to the respect I have for you and my brothers in Christ. But you also know that it is the usual practice to leave open letters unanswered.
In the meantime, I have also learned that among the collected signatories of the first letter were also those who were decidedly uninformed about the real discussion process of the Synodal Path. And even after some time they had no knowledge of the fact that and how I had answered
in detail. This shows: you did not make my answer even remotely publicly available in similar ways to your own letter. That, too, is your right, but it does make your approach seem rather questionable.
I only want to address one point of your argumentation in the current letter. Based on intensive discussions with those affected and intensive scientific studies on the occurrence of abuse of children and young people by clerics in our country, we had to painfully accept that there are multi-dimensional systemic factors in the Catholic Church which favour abuse. Uncovering these and doing our utmost to overcome them is the starting point of the Synodal Path in Germany, and it is reflected in the four priority areas to be worked on. In contrast, your
argumentation that bishops have made mistakes in dealing with abuse and instead of taking
responsibility for it, they now want to fundamentally question the doctrine of the Church in
Germany, is, from my humble insight, frighteningly one-line and unfortunately does not do
justice by far to the complex reality of the structures in the Catholic Church that facilitate abuse.
However, I am glad and appreciate the fact that your opinion is by no means shared by all the
faithful and bishops, even in the Church in the United States. This is clearly communicated to me again and again. Our Church needs change in order to faithfully carry out her mission and take the precious Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of our time. And the urgent need for
change also includes the need to further develop the Church's teaching. Such is my conviction.
Nevertheless, I take your objections seriously, because they indicate concern and at the same time that we also in the Catholic Church worldwide live in a thoroughly plural situation of different social life worlds and theological assessments. These require exchange, critical dialogue and a new understanding and communication with each other, of course on the basis of what belongs to the revealed unchangeable heritage of the Church's faith. That is why I am so extraordinarily grateful for the open way in which Pope Francis has designed the World Synod on Synodality. Everyone should be able to participate, have their say and contribute their
views. This is a great approach we in Germany support very much.
Even though I am not able to continue the written discussion with you, I would like to point out that our synodal assemblies will continue to be open to the media and will be streamed, i.e.
everyone will be able to follow them. And for the sake of transparency and critical accompaniment, we will make our draft resolutions and adopted texts publicly available.
In thanking you once again, I wish that the Easter confidence may continue in you: The Lord is truly risen, hallelujah.
Fraternally yours
+ Georg Bätzing
regarding his second letter, dated 3 May 2022:
Your Excellency,
Thank you for your personal response to my letter of reply to the letter signed by more than 70 bishops.
The email below with which you send me your letter makes it clear that I am not the sole addressee of your letter. "The reply will become public soon" indicates that it is again an open letter, which wants to reach and gather the critics of the Synodal Path in the Church. You are
entitled to do so. However, please also understand that I will no longer respond to such open letters. The fact that I did so the first time is due to the respect I have for you and my brothers in Christ. But you also know that it is the usual practice to leave open letters unanswered.
In the meantime, I have also learned that among the collected signatories of the first letter were also those who were decidedly uninformed about the real discussion process of the Synodal Path. And even after some time they had no knowledge of the fact that and how I had answered
in detail. This shows: you did not make my answer even remotely publicly available in similar ways to your own letter. That, too, is your right, but it does make your approach seem rather questionable.
I only want to address one point of your argumentation in the current letter. Based on intensive discussions with those affected and intensive scientific studies on the occurrence of abuse of children and young people by clerics in our country, we had to painfully accept that there are multi-dimensional systemic factors in the Catholic Church which favour abuse. Uncovering these and doing our utmost to overcome them is the starting point of the Synodal Path in Germany, and it is reflected in the four priority areas to be worked on. In contrast, your
argumentation that bishops have made mistakes in dealing with abuse and instead of taking
responsibility for it, they now want to fundamentally question the doctrine of the Church in
Germany, is, from my humble insight, frighteningly one-line and unfortunately does not do
justice by far to the complex reality of the structures in the Catholic Church that facilitate abuse.
However, I am glad and appreciate the fact that your opinion is by no means shared by all the
faithful and bishops, even in the Church in the United States. This is clearly communicated to me again and again. Our Church needs change in order to faithfully carry out her mission and take the precious Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of our time. And the urgent need for
change also includes the need to further develop the Church's teaching. Such is my conviction.
Nevertheless, I take your objections seriously, because they indicate concern and at the same time that we also in the Catholic Church worldwide live in a thoroughly plural situation of different social life worlds and theological assessments. These require exchange, critical dialogue and a new understanding and communication with each other, of course on the basis of what belongs to the revealed unchangeable heritage of the Church's faith. That is why I am so extraordinarily grateful for the open way in which Pope Francis has designed the World Synod on Synodality. Everyone should be able to participate, have their say and contribute their
views. This is a great approach we in Germany support very much.
Even though I am not able to continue the written discussion with you, I would like to point out that our synodal assemblies will continue to be open to the media and will be streamed, i.e.
everyone will be able to follow them. And for the sake of transparency and critical accompaniment, we will make our draft resolutions and adopted texts publicly available.
In thanking you once again, I wish that the Easter confidence may continue in you: The Lord is truly risen, hallelujah.
Fraternally yours
+ Georg Bätzing
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