German bishop based in Peru stereotypes conservatives as "clericalists"

The German Synodal Path - spectre of the worldwide opponents of the synodal church

 As a German-born Peruvian bishop, I am often asked about the synodal way in Germany: "Is it true that the German Church is on the verge of a schism? That homosexuality is accepted there, women are to be ordained priests and celibacy is to be abolished?" This suspicion is constantly fed by conservative Catholic influencers in relevant English- and Spanish-language media. I then try to clarify the following:

1. the German Synodal Path began in 2018 after the MHG study on clergy sexual abuse in Germany, which identified 3677 victims. Afterwards it was clear: if the German Church still wants to retain credibility, it must change and recognise and eliminate systemic causes of abuse. The Germans are much more thorough and direct in their ways; we Latinos prefer not to touch hot potatoes at all or only jokingly.  

2 The German Synodal Path involves lay people. Not only in the process of consultation, but also in the Assembly, which is also the practice in the "Ecclesial Assembly" of the Amazon region and of all Latin America (2021).

Pope Francis called a World Synod on Synodality for 2021 to 2024. There and at all the Synods of Bishops of this Pope, listening to the laity will play a new and important role. This listening is practised in the German synodal way and there the above-mentioned "stimulus" topics have come to light. Listening to and discussing these topics used to be taboo in the church, but now it is the right and duty of the German church and it must not be criticised from outside for this.

The second step of the synodal church is the "discernment" or evaluation of the heard topics with the help of the Holy Spirit. There, papers are prepared on the issues in the commissions, which are then voted on in the Assembly. This step could be accused of a certain parliamentarism and the question arises whether the procedure allows enough space for listening to the Holy Spirit.

The German Church is aware that it can only solve many questions together with Rome and the Pope. It wants to bring these questions to the Pope and the World Synod as suggestions from Germany.

Now, even Pope Francis has made several critical statements about the synodal path in Germany. Most recently, he called it the work of an "elite" in the Church and not of the German Church people as a whole. With all due respect and love for Pope Francis, I have to say: does he really think he knows the German people better than the German bishops do? On the other hand, I agree with him when he critically questions the procedure of the German Synod and scales back certain exaggerated expectations of this Synod, after all, Germany is also - but only a small - part of the universal Church. Of course, universality does not simply mean uniformity but includes a certain pluralism.

In the Latin American Church Assembly and at the hearing for the World Synod, clericalism was identified as the main problem. A clergy that sees itself as a caste and concentrates all power in the Church in its hands and does not want to relinquish it. It is these clericalist circles that paint the German Synodal Path haunting the Church. Its themes are also present here, but are still largely taboo and hardly capable of gaining a majority. By demonising the German way, one can indirectly torpedo the Synodal Path of the universal Church and thus ultimately hit Francis himself, who wants to finally implement important topics of Vatican Council II with the World Synod: the church model of the People of God, which entails a radical transformation of the pyramidal and monarchical understanding of office.

Thank you Pope Francis for your advocacy of a synodal, fraternal and servant Church. This requires all of us to listen patiently to one another, to refrain from condemning other opinions without knowing them in detail, and finally to listen actively to what the Spirit wants to tell us in these processes.

Source- The Bishop's blog. He has a long history of difficulties with Archbishop Gänswein about more soon.

Cathcon:  The real problem is a pseudo-clerical lay elite, detached from the roots of the Church both spiritually and in human terms, is trying to dictate terms to the Church. The Church has been taken hostage by them and must be freed.