German Catholics plan Reformation 2.0 in the form of the "Rottenburg Manifesto"
Demands from Rottenburg
I wonder what the Pope will say about this?
Rottenburg - The long-prepared Council Day of the protest, "Reforms now - Council from below" will take place on Saturday, 24 September. More than 400 participants from parishes of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, church associations, religious, members of the Diocesan Council and others are expected. In the meantime, numerous delegates have registered for the Council Day.
The initiators are the initiative pro concilio and the AGR, the solidarity group of priests and deacons in the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart. Supporters include the Federation of German Catholic Youth, the Catholic German Women's Federation and Maria 2.0.
Seven specific reform demands
Seven specific reform demands are to be decided at the Council Day and then handed over to the Bishop as the "Rottenburg Manifesto".
(Cathcon: clearly the Holy Spirit is not invited as the demands are already decided, not dissimilar to the whole Synodal process)
"We are part of the broad reform movement in the Church. We want to give tailwind to the Synodal Path. The Council from below is the voice of the grassroots. Especially because of the recent criticism from Rome, it is important that the reform-minded bishops get support from the people of the Church," says Wolfgang Kramer, spokesman for the pro concilio initiative.
Renouncing compulsory celibacy
The core demands include more synodal structures in the church, a comprehensible and contemporary language in the proclamation of the Christian message, gender equality, renunciation of compulsory celibacy and overcoming the ossified sexual morality of the church. The Council from Below had already met with broad approval at the Catholic Day in Stuttgart at a much-attended panel discussion. At the Council Day in Rottenburg, the Tübingen theology professor, Johanna Rahner is to speak.
A procession to the cathedral with a symbolic embrace of the cathedral and a closing service are also planned.
Embrace of the cathedral
"With the human chain to embrace the cathedral, we want to show that we are part of the church and love the church. Already the famous theologian Karl Rahner said: I have to criticise the church because I love the church," comments Birgit Kälberer, spokesperson of the pro concilio initiative. "It is particularly important that women can be ordained as priests and deacons. Finally, some courageous bishops dare to demand this publicly. We want to strengthen their backs."
The "Rottenburg Manifesto"
The core demands of the Council from below are to be decided on the Council Day, solemnly proclaimed and transmitted as the "Rottenburg Manifesto" to the bishop as well as to the national and worldwide church leadership.
However, the initiators are already looking beyond the borders of the diocese. On the one hand, they want to ensure that the World Synod planned for October 2023 takes up precisely those topics that are on the agenda of the Council Day in Rottenburg. On the other hand, they point out in all clarity that a new Council of the universal Church is needed in order to clarify all structural and substantive reform topics and to adopt corresponding resolutions. The initiators want to advocate that not only Cardinals and Bishops be allowed to participate in such a Council, but also women and men from the entire Church.
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