Synodal Path on the Path to Nowhere

"Mary 2.0" warns bishops: Synodal Path could fail fatally

Next week, the German bishops will meet for their spring plenary assembly in Dresden. In an open letter beforehand, "Maria 2.0" has addressed the senior pastors and urged them to show more commitment - despite headwinds from Rome.

In the run-up to its Spring Plenary Assembly in Dresden, the reform initiative "Maria 2.0" has called on the German bishops to pursue the formation of the Synodal Council decided by the Synodal Path as well as a Synodal Committee despite headwinds from Rome. "Otherwise the Synodal Path would have failed fatally," writes "Maria 2.0" in an open letter to the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) published on Thursday. "In our view, this would lead to a mass exodus of committed Catholics and cause the Catholic Church to slide into irrelevance." The bishops should also express this consequence to the Vatican. "Only if we succeed in overcoming outdated power structures, most of which date back to the 19th century, and the clericalism associated with them, can the Church be rethought and lost credibility regained."

In January, the Vatican had stressed in a letter approved by Pope Francis "that neither the Synodal Path, nor any body established by it, nor any bishops' conference has the competence to establish the 'Synodal Council' at the national, diocesan or parish level." The DBK president, Bishop Georg Bätzing, had then explained that the Synodal Council would operate within current church law and that the preparatory Synodal Committee was not called into question by the Roman letter.

Procrastination does neither justice to those affected nor to Christian values

"Maria 2.0" also emphasised that it was essential to raise awareness of sexualised violence and to place those affected at the centre of thought and action. Four years after the publication of the MHG study, there are still dioceses that have not commissioned their own detailed studies. In other places, too, the process of coming to terms with the problem is being delayed, the initiative criticises. "It gives the impression that the delay is intended to let time work for itself. This does neither justice to those affected nor to Christian values."

Each of the expert reports published so far also essentially blames systemic causes for the numerous cases of abuse. "It follows compellingly that structural changes in the Catholic Church must be massively advanced," said "Maria 2.0". "Otherwise the proclamation of the Gospel will lose its credibility." Since the abuse of adult women and men also occupies a large and often unnoticed space, it is necessary to finalise the action text "Measures against abuse of women in the Church", which will be discussed at the upcoming synodal assembly, she said.

From Monday to Thursday of next week, the German bishops will meet for their regular spring plenary assembly in Dresden. Originally, the Plenary Assembly was to take place in Dresden in 2021, but was then held as an online meeting due to the Corona pandemic. According to the DBK, the consultations will now focus on the situation in Ukraine and the social, political and ecclesial situation in Madagascar. In addition, the ad-limina visit to Rome in November is to be evaluated and the central topics of the upcoming World Synod of Bishops in Rome as well as current issues before the fifth and thus last Synodal Assembly in Frankfurt in March are to be discussed. The bishops also want to discuss the order to restructure the subject area of sexual abuse and experiences of violence as well as how to deal with spiritual abuse

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Cathcon: Instrumentalisation of the abuse and Our Lady for a deliberate and cynical power grab.