Synodal Path is political process instead of spiritual renewal

Pantel: Synodal Path relativises Catholic teaching

Political reappraisal instead of spiritual renewal: Sylvia Pantel, a long-time CDU member of parliament, criticises the German reform process.

Criticism of the Synodal Way out of politics: long-time CDU member of parliament Sylvia Pantel sees the German reform process as "a kind of political reappraisal instead of a spiritual renewal". In a guest article for the "Tagespost", Pantel, who is currently executive director of the "Foundation for Family Values", criticises that the Synodal Path discusses a "further dissolution of traditions and values as well as a relativisation of Catholic teaching".

The wrong answer to the crimes of abuse

To this Pantel counters: "If Church teaching and its tradition, including sexual ethics, had been followed and its commandments had not been grossly and criminally violated, no human being would have been wronged." In her view, the Synodal Path or even activist groups such as "Mary 2.0" were "the wrong response to the crimes of abuse".

Those reform-oriented activists wanted to initiate developments, said Pantel, "which do not call for more mindfulness in dealing with sexuality and the dignity of people, regardless of age, but primarily do massive damage to the Church itself". Many devout Catholics have already turned their backs on the church or are considering "leaving this 'German official church' with a heavy heart". They are no longer prepared "to go along with this German special path, which is an aberration, or even to continue to finance it".

If the universal Church cannot stop and correct the Synodal Path, which Pantel calls the "special way of the German official Church", she fears "that the Catholic Church in Germany will soon lose many more and above all also very faithful and committed members and that the faith in Germany will suffer very serious and lasting damage over many generations". 

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