The Synodal Path of the Catholic Church in Germany wants laypeople to be able to participate in choosing bishops and wants the church to have women deacons. The third Synodal Assembly to bring about reforms to the Catholic Church ended Feb. 5 with the first concrete decisions of the process. Most German bishops signalled they are prepared to support far-reaching change in the Catholic Church.
For three days, nearly 230 delegates — lay and clerical — discussed reforms based on texts that had been drawn up in four working forums and reflecting theological arguments they hope to present to Rome in 2023, at the end of the Synodal Path process.
This third of five planned synodal assemblies marked the first time that the highest body of the Synodal Path adopted some fundamental texts in a second reading. The texts received approval of more than two-thirds of all delegates, in addition to the approval of more than two-thirds of the bishops. But two years after the Synodal Path process started, the Vatican has yet to give a clear signal of support. Limburg Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German bishops’ conference, announced that he met with Pope Francis in January and that he is in dialogue with Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops. Bätzing said a discussion group between the synod secretariat and the executive committee of the Synodal Path in Germany will be established.
The pope’s representative to Germany, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, greeted the assembly and reminded delegates Pope Francis “is the point of reference and the centre of unity for more than 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide, 22.6 million of whom live in Germany.” He said the pope often speaks of synodality, but warns against “parliamentarism, formalism, intellectualism and clericalism.”