VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The German bishops’ meeting with officials of the Roman Curia was not a “showdown,” however it did clarify the Vatican’s strong concerns about Germany’s Synodal Path, especially regarding its support for official ministries for ladies and for a change in church teaching about homosexuality, said the president of the bishops’ conference.
Coming at the tip of the bishops’ weeklong “ad limina” visits to Rome, the meeting Nov. 18 with the heads of Vatican offices was “a serious test of synodality,” Bishop Georg Bätzing told reporters the subsequent day.
In that meeting, “it was necessary to me to make it clear that the uncovering of abuse and structures that facilitated abuse within the church have so shattered trust and called into query the authority of the bishops to such a level that recent paths are crucial so as to confront the crisis within the church,” he said.
The German bishops’ meeting with officials of the Roman Curia was not a “showdown,” however it did clarify the Vatican’s strong concerns about Germany’s Synodal Path.
The German bishops promise to reflect on what was said and heard, he said, but that reflection and the continuing dialogue with the Curia must involve those that “make up the biggest a part of the people of God: the laity.”
“We’re Catholics, and we are going to remain Catholics, but we wish to be Catholics otherwise,” Bishop Bätzing said. Claims that the German church is moving toward a schism “are said from outside and meant to intimidate us.”
[Related: The German Synodal Way, Explained]
A joint statement published late Nov. 18 by the bishops and the Vatican said the meeting with Curia officials was chaired by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. Formal presentations were made by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, and Cardinal Luis Ladaria, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, “who frankly and clearly entered into the concerns and reservations regarding the methodology, content and proposals of the Synodal Path.”
“In the attitude of open and fraternal sharing,” the statement said, “some proposals were recommend, resembling that of applying a moratorium to the German Synodal Path, which was not accepted, and that of favoring a further reflection and mutual listening in light of the perplexities which have emerged.”
“We’re Catholics, and we are going to remain Catholics, but we wish to be Catholics otherwise,” Bishop Bätzing said.
Bishop Bätzing told reporters Cardinal Ouellet said he had accepted the role of the “bad guy” and proposed the moratorium.
“He said he was very nervous, very nervous that the synod in Germany may very well be a forest fire that spreads in every single place,” the bishop said.
The joint statement also said within the contributions of the Vatican officials “the importance and in addition the urgency of defining and deepening a number of the issues highlighted emerged, for instance, those referring to church structures, sacred ministry and access to it, Christian anthropology, etc.”
The three apparently consult with the Synodal Path’s: approval of a everlasting “synodal council” of bishops and laypeople “to advise on major developments within the church and society”; its call for ladies to be admitted to the diaconate and for a consideration of allowing women priests; and its call for a revision of church teaching on homosexuality and its approval of blessings for individuals in committed same-sex relationships.
Claims that the German church is moving toward a schism “are said from outside and meant to intimidate us,” Bishop Bätzing said.
On the news conference, Bishop Bätzing told reporters the role of girls within the church and the potential for expanding women’s ministries “is essentially the most urgent query and the one which separates us most” from the Curia officials. “Women have put up with a lot and are getting impatient. Many younger ladies say that a church that denies all of this can’t be my church.”
As for allowing the blessing of gay couples, the bishop said members of the Synodal Assembly are continuing their discussion. “But for me, as a bishop, these blessings for individuals who ask God’s blessing for his or her committed relationship, I might not take that away from them.”
Within the wake of the clerical abuse scandal and with the discharge of a significant study of its causes, the German bishops’ conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics launched the Synodal Path in 2019. The method began with forums to debate issues within the 4 areas the study identified as containing the “systemic causes” of sexual abuse and its cover-up: the exercise of power within the church; sexual morality; priestly existence; and the role of girls within the church.
On the news conference, Bishop Bätzing told reporters the bishops and the central committee are committed to concluding the Synodal Path with a fifth assembly in March. “A moratorium would mean stopping, it could mean not continuing work on these themes and texts. Here it was very clear, and I’m glad it was within the communique, that this is just not an option.”
The role of girls within the church and the potential for expanding women’s ministries “is essentially the most urgent query and the one which separates us most” from the Curia officials, Bishop Bätzing told reporters.
The Synodal Assembly meets to hope and discuss proposed documents setting out a theological approach to every of the 4 areas of study and separate documents making concrete suggestions for tactics to deal with the concerns. After a primary reading and debate on the documents, they’re amended. After a second reading, members of the assembly vote on them. To pass, the documents should be approved by two-thirds of the German bishops and two-thirds of the laity, priests and spiritual within the assembly.
The recommendations in some approved texts will be adopted without approval from Rome, but others should be referred to the Vatican before implementation.
In his introduction to the meeting with the Curia, in a text released by the bishops’ conference, Bishop Bätzing told the Vatican officials that “the problems we’re coping with within the 4 forums and on the synodal assemblies are also being discussed in other parts of the church,” as is evident from the contributions national bishops’ conferences have sent in as a part of the method preparing for the world Synod of Bishops.
As for allowing the blessing of gay couples, the bishop said members of the Synodal Assembly are continuing their discussion.
While the Synodal Path was mentioned Nov. 17 through the two-hour meeting the 63 bishops had with Pope Francis, Bishop Bätzing said it was not treated in depth since the pope was scheduled to attend the meeting the subsequent day with the heads of the Curia offices.
“It was irritating at first” that Pope Francis was not there, the bishop said, and nobody from the Vatican explained his absence. “But now I might say the pope is a shrewd Jesuit and he allowed us to have this debate amongst brothers.”
The bishops’ communication office said the meeting with Pope Francis was an open forum “during which the bishops were capable of raise their questions and issues, and the pope responded.”
While “elements of the Synodal Path of the church in Germany and the worldwide synodal process” got here up, the office said, the discussion also included providing pastoral care to people in changing times, understanding priestly and episcopal ministry, the involvement of laypeople within the church and the challenge of evangelization in an increasingly secularized culture.
“Political responsibility, social cohesion and prospects for peace within the face of worldwide and regional conflicts” also were discussed, the bishops’ conference said.
