German bishops declare war on Vatican

Petrine? Marian? Administration for women? Bishop Bätzing on Nuncio's speech: "Almost unbearable to listen to".

Pope Francis rejects the women's priesthood - and according to Nuncio Eterović justifies this with the Petrine and Marian image of the Church. In addition, there is "the principle of administration, which is not theological" and where women could step forward. For Bishop Georg Bätzing it was "almost unbearable to listen to".

"The Nuncio read us a long passage from an interview of the Pope. I want to say once again: This is not how the Magisterium happens! That is not the quality in which magisterial texts become clear!

But it has long been clear to me, and the Pope has never left any doubt about this, that he sees no room for manoeuvre on the question of the ordination of women to the priesthood. There he says, like his two predecessors, and he will not make such a decision. I believe that this is also clear to everyone in the Synodal Way. 

What was presented to us was not helpful, because it was an attempt at a spiritual explanation of why it is not possible to bring women into the priesthood. And I know this argumentation - but in a completely different depth. Through my involvement with the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, I know it very well. 

But there was no dualism here and that made it almost unbearable for me to listen to - I have to say that honestly. Because a triad was opened up. There is the Petrine principle, that is, the office. There is the Marian principle - to make it clear: That is the Church as a whole, which acts as a spouse to Christ the Bridegroom.

And then the Pope now says - he did not tell us this during the ad-limina visit: there is also an administrative principle.  Then I say: Holy Father, you can present that. Yes, but then you cannot demand that it be accepted. That is not a Magisterium either.

I agree, there is an office principle in the Church and there is a comprehensive principle, the Marian principle. That is also a valuable situation for me. But with that, without even bringing it up, to say: And this official principle, the Petrine, are always men. And the Marian, what are they? Always women? No, they are all of them! There is something wrong in the way it is transmitted into the respective specific case. 

There was a confrere who belongs to a spiritual community. He said that in his spiritual community these two principles are very important. But both principles, the Petrine and Marian, are perceived by men."

The President of the German Bishops' Conference, Georg Bätzing, responded on Thursday to a question from kath.ch on how he assessed Pope Francis' dualistic-sounding Petrine-Marian image of the Church, which Nuncio Eterović had underlined.

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Cathcon:  The German Bishops are acting as a law unto themselves, just as much as Pope Francis is in other matters.  Very much the fashion, but not Catholic.