The German Bishops’ Conference Meets and Discuss their “Synodal Path” (Synodale Weg) which Received a Note of Caution from the Vatican

German Bishops’ Plenary underway on "Synodal Path" and World Synodal Process

German bishops gather in Dresden to discuss the next stage of the national “Synodal Path”, the war in Ukraine, the upcoming World Youth Day in Lisbon, and abuse in the Church.

The German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) is holding its springtime meeting from the 27th of February to the 2nd of March in Dresden.

67 Bishops are taking take part in the assembly whose main topic is the Universal Church’s synodal process launched by Pope Francis in 2021, and the parallel German Church’s “Synodal Path” (Synodale Weg) which is reaching its final stage.

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

The reform process, which has aroused reservations in the Vatican, including from Pope Francis, and among some German Bishops, also as to its compatibility with the 2021-2024 Universal Synodal Process, 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”.

In January, the Vatican wrote “that neither the Synodal Way nor a body appointed by it nor a bishops’ conference have the competence to establish the ‘synodal council’ at the national, diocesan, or parish level.” Bishop Georg Bätzing’s reply; “Therefore, I ask for your understanding if I do not address individual aspects of your remarks in this letter, but gladly and gratefully take up the offer of conversation you have proposed.”

Referring specifically to the 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”, the Vatican representative remarked.

For his part, at a press conference on the same day, the president of the German bishops’ conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, rejected concerns that divisions over the national  Synodal Path and its proposals would lead to a new schism in the Catholic Church, though recognizing that the process is complex and not “peaceful”.

Other important topics discussed during the German Bishops’ plenary include the ongoing war in Ukraine; the preparation of the upcoming World Youth Day in Lisbon;  diocesan issues related to sexual abuse in the Church, and aid to the victims of the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, which has caused over 50,000 victims.

On March 2, the DBK is expected to release a final statement.

Source: Edited from Vatican News with Image from DBK FB