Modernists threaten to leave the Church if they do not get their way

Catholic Association poses the crucial question: "Stay or go?"

The Gretchenfrage- the crucial question is a compound of Gretchen (diminutive of the given name Margarete) and Frage "question". In reference to Goethe's Faust (published 1808), where the character of Gretchen asks the protagonist, who is secretly in league with a devil, wie hast du's mit der Religion? "how do you feel about religion?". 

More than 350 participants of the Christian network "ND-Christsein.Heute-New Germany-Be Christian Today" addressed the crisis of trust within the Catholic Church in Münster.

The Catholic association expects the continuation of the Synodal Path.

Numerous workshops and forums dealt with the changes in society, politics and the church.

The decision question "To stay or to go" runs through the ND national congress in the Catholic-Social Academy Franz Hitze Haus in Münster. "In terms of church politics, the question is what remains after the Synodal Path. As a Christian network, our association and our community see themselves as a platform for discussion and exchange," says the Deputy Federal leader of ND, Jürgen Holtkamp from Dülmen.

The Federation, which used to call itself "Bund Neudeutschland- New Germany Association" and has been called "ND-Christsein.Heute" for some years, discussed the Synodal Path under the question: Do the results motivate staying in the Church? More than 350 participants were informed, among others, by the members of the Synodal Assembly coming from the Diocese of Münster, Sister Katharina Kluitmann, Professor Thomas Söding and Mara Klein about used and missed opportunities of the debate on the current church situation initiated in 2019.

ND clearly in favour of establishing synodal councils

"The results motivate to stay, even if some disappointments remain," noted Sister Katharina Kluitmann. 

If a nun leaves, she breaks every vow she has ever taken.

The nun from the Lüdinghaus Franciscan Sisters is a member of the Synodal Committee, as are Mara Klein from the Institute for Christian Social Sciences at the University of Münster and Thomas Söding, who teaches New Testament at the Ruhr University in Bochum. The central task of the committee is to draw up a constitution for a Synodal Council. This is to enable permanent joint consultations between lay people and bishops.

The ND had already taken a position on the Synodal Path in the run-up to its Federal Congress: "The co-responsibility of competent lay people cannot be limited to merely being heard, but must be realised in active participation in decision-making processes. We strongly defend the establishment of synodal councils."

Church commitment with élan

The ND was disappointed by the results. The church in Germany had "not moved a millimetre further than the Würzburg Synod 50 years ago" it said. The church crisis has become much more existential since then. "We have by no means achieved the overdue structural change of the Catholic Church in Germany. Therefore, everyone is called upon to continue the Synodal Path with all spiritual strength and energy," the ND encourages the committee members to continue their work.

Encouragingly, the ND says about the Synodal Path: "After this great effort, we need stamina, élan, esprit and courage to press ahead with the necessary reforms. This applies to the Synodal Path in Germany, to the synodal efforts worldwide and also to the way of the World Synod in Rome."

Faith with and despite the church

Church musician Sonja Manderbach, social counsellor Venera Topor, parish priest, Peter Kossen and parish priest, Stefan Jürgens.

Father Jürgens, who steers away from being recognised as a priest

The Congress was opened thematically by personal points of view on why it is worthwhile to work in and for the church. Father Stefan Jürgens, who leads three parishes in Ahaus, has made his church-critical stance clear in several publications, but also explained how "faith works with and despite the church".

The ND participants supported Jürgens' statement with much applause: "I like being a parish priest. The Church is my home. I owe my faith to it. That is why I will not give it up under any circumstances." Jürgens campaigned for a different church, "where it is worthwhile to keep at it" and for a church "that belongs to the people again and therefore has a future".

Working with a headwind

Father Peter Kossen's statements also encouraged people to stay in the church, even if they had to deal with disappointments. The pastor from Lengerich is known for his commitment to migrant workers in the meat industry and logistics sector.

Kossen told of the "headwind" he experienced in his outreach to migrant workers. "Even in the Church there was not the solidarity I had hoped for. But the long road was worth it: a lot could be achieved if you don't give up."

ND Congress with many discussion groups

Church musician Sonja Manderbach from Oldenburg, who has joined the radical climate protection group "Last Generation", and Venera Topor, who works with migrant workers, spoke about experiences of making decisions under difficult conditions. Manderbach explained her consistent action with the need to "secure life also in the future". Topor referred to the plight of many people in South Eastern Europe. They are forced to make difficult decisions, one of which is migration.

On the topic of "Stay or Go", the ND had invited to many forums, workshops, actions and excursions. Among the prominent speakers were Thomas Sternberg, long-time president of the Central Committee of German Catholics, the Ukrainian-born publicist Marina Weisband, and former Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse.

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