Radical Catholic movement praises bishop as reformer

The lay movement "We are Church" has praised the Osnabrück Bishop Franz-Josef Bode (65) as a reformer. Bode has repeatedly demanded in no uncertain terms more influence for women and has spoken in favour of rethinking the role of priests in the Catholic Church, spokesman for the movement, Christian Weisner told "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" (Saturday edition). Bode celebrated this Sunday in Osnabrück Cathedral his 25th ordination anniversary. The chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Reinhard Marx (62) is expected to attend.

Marx told the newspaper that Bode had put in place crucial impulses for changes in the Catholic Church. The Archbishop of Munich and Freising expressed reservations however on the question of whether the Osnabrück Model, where women volunteers are integrated into the parochial leadership, could be a model for all of Germany. Each diocese must decide this for themselves, the cardinal said.

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Cathcon comment: the crisis is nothing if not episcopal.