Watch this space! German Bishops' Conference meeting starts today

All local and auxiliary Catholic bishops in Germany and the Apostolic Exarch of the Ukrainians meet regularly in spring and autumn for the Plenary Assembly, the highest body of the German Bishops' Conference. Over four days, numerous discussions are held, resolutions are passed and working sessions are held. The Plenary Assembly, which is not open to the public, is the highest body of the Catholic Church in Germany. The number of members is currently 67 (as of February 2023)

Spring Plenary Assembly 2023 in Dresden

The Spring Plenary Assembly of the German Bishops' Conference will take place in Dresden (Diocese of Dresden-Meißen) from 27 February to 2 March 2023. It will be attended by 65 members of the German Bishops' Conference under the leadership of the President, Bishop Dr Georg Bätzing. The venue will be the Hyperion Hotel Dresden. The plenary assembly was originally scheduled to take place in Dresden in 2021, but was then held online due to the Corona pandemic.

The consultations will focus on the situation in Ukraine one year after the Russian invasion as well as the social, political and ecclesial situation in Madagascar. The bishops will carry out an evaluation of their ad limina visit to Rome in November 2022 and discuss central topics for the upcoming World Synod of Bishops in Rome (October 2023). Another focus will be the consultations on current issues of the Synodal Path, especially with a view to the fifth and thus last Synodal Assembly (9-11 March 2023). In addition, the bishops will again discuss the order for restructuring the subject area of sexual abuse and experiences of violence as well as dealing with spiritual abuse. Other topics are the preparations for the XXXVII World Youth Day, which will take place in Lisbon in the summer of 2023, a report by the special representative for refugee issues and the planned third ecumenical report on religious freedom of Christians worldwide.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Germany, Archbishop Dr Nikola Eterović, will attend the opening session of the Assembly on 27 February 2023. Cardinal Désiré Tsarahazana (Madagascar/Toamasina), President of the Malagasy Bishops' Conference, and Bishop Gabriel Randrianantenaina (Madagascar/Tsiroanomandidy) will be present as guests from other bishops' conferences.

Review: Autumn General Assembly 2022 in Fulda

The Autumn Plenary Assembly of the German Bishops' Conference took place in Fulda from 26 to 29 September 2022. It was attended by 65 members of the German Bishops' Conference under the leadership of the President, Bishop Dr Georg Bätzing. Due to Corona, the bishops met again in the city palace of Fulda.

The main focus of the consultations was the progress of the Synodal Path and the preparation of the ad limina visit of the German bishops to Rome in November 2022. In view of the past Synodal Assembly and related topics, in addition to a half-day study day on the Synodal Path, the focus was also on topics to be brought forward by the Bishops' Conference in Rome. Another focus of the deliberations was the reorganisation of the topic of sexual abuse of minors and adult charges. This was also related to the fact that the previous commissioner of the German Bishops' Conference for questions of sexual abuse, Bishop Dr Stephan Ackermann, had announced his intention to hand over the task after twelve years. In addition, the plenary assembly dealt with a balance sheet of the support for the flood disaster in 2021 as well as related questions of emergency pastoral care.

The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Dr Nikola Eterović, attended the opening session of the Assembly on Monday, 26 September 2022. Archbishop Vincent Dollmann (France/Cambrai), Archbishop Dr Wiktor Skworc (Poland/Kattowice) and Bishop Johan Bonny (Antwerp/Belgium) were present as guests of other Bishops' Conferences.

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Cathcon:  The Conference is split between those that want to appease the Synodal Path and those who regard it as a problem rather than a solution.  Also the idea of the permanent Synod Council which was stamped on by Rome will be discussed.