By the time the Synodalists take power, there will not be a Church left

Bishop Elbs: "Shortage of skilled workers" in the Church worries me

Bishop of Feldkirch contradicts the assumption that the future of the Church lies in Africa and Asia, because, "the future of the Church in Austria lies in Austria" - Pope Francis' decision to grant lay people voting rights at synods of bishops "absolutely right"

The Bishop of Feldkirch, Benno Elbs, is concerned about the "shortage of specialists" in the Church, in "priestly and religious vocations, as well as in theological staff, in theology students". The bishop said this in the interview "Vatican News" on Friday. Ten years ago, Elbs was the first Bishop appointed by Pope Francis for the German-speaking region. These days he was in Rome together with Vorarlberg Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP).

The lack of staff is an issue in all dioceses in Austria, he said. "We try to support a lot through voluntary commitment. But this concern is already great," the bishop said. Nevertheless, he wanted to contradict the assessment that the future of the Catholic Church lies in Africa and Asia. Even if there are fewer priests in the West, in the end "the Church can only be lived", and "the future of the Church in Austria lies in Austria", Elbs was convinced.

For more synodality

The Bishop of Feldkirch considers Pope Francis' decision to give lay people, including women, the right to vote at the upcoming World Synod in October in Rome "important" and "absolutely right". The Pope had taken the theological principle of the "sensus fidelium" seriously here, i.e. the infallible sense of faith of God's people as a whole, Elbs said. Baptised people who "live their faith in spirituality" have much to give to the Church, the Bishop said.

"I believe that the wisdom from these people is just as crucial for a good way forward for the Church as that from any clever theologian." That's why Elbs thinks it's right "if the whole people of God, theologically speaking, are brought into the decision-making process, into the discussion." Synodality for him, Elbs continued, means "being in exchange, being in conversation, knowing that maybe I recognise part of the truth and that the other person recognises another part."

The Church of the future will have to be more "prophetic", said the Bishop, who is responsible for the area of Caritas in the Austrian Bishops' Conference, "also because of the many world political issues such as flight or climate, inflation, poverty". 

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He was convinced that the Church must stand very prominently on the side of those "whose voices are not heard": "If we also see the Church and the world from the point of view of the poor, then we also have a different view of many questions," said Elbs.

Source

See also

Bishop Elbs denies the teaching of the Council of Trent