Osnabrück involves laity in selection of replacement for Bishop Bode

Although the actual election will only be by the cathedral chapter

Bode succession in Osnabrück: lay people consulted before Bishop's selection

Due to the resignation of Franz-Josef Bode, the Diocese of Osnabrück needs a new bishop

Before the election of a new bishop of Osnabrück, the Cathedral Chapter wants to involve non-clerics in finding candidates.

It is inviting the Catholic Council in the diocese to nominate nine representatives who, together with the nine cathedral chapter members, will discuss a list of candidates.

The actual choice of bishop rests with the Cathedral Chapter.

Before the election of a new Osnabrück Bishop, the responsible Cathedral Chapter wants non-clergy to participate in finding candidates. According to the Osnabrück Episcopal Press Office, the Committee has defined a procedure for this purpose. It is based on the procedure recently used by the Cathedral Chapter in Paderborn.

As in previous elections of Bishops, persons and committees are to be interviewed. In addition, the Cathedral Chapter wants to invite the Catholic Council in the Osnabrück diocese to nominate nine representatives who, together with the nine members of the cathedral chapter, will discuss a list of candidates. Since the resignation of Bishop Franz-Josef Bode at the end of March, the Osnabrück Bishop's seat has been vacant.

How the laity will participate

The dual committee is to consider the personal profile of a Bishop and exchange ideas on names, it said. The list with these proposals would then be passed on by the Chapter to Rome for further proceedings. The contents of the consultations remained secret.

Suffragan Bishop Johannes Wübbe gave assurance that the procedure was in accordance with the provisions of the State-Church Treaty between the Holy See and Lower Saxony. The Cathedral Chapter would "of course ensure a proper and valid election procedure", said the transitional head of the Diocese.

 

Bishop's election itself remains solely with the cathedral chapter

The Vatican will draw up a list of three from the candidate proposals sent to Rome by the Cathedral Chapter via the Nuncio in Berlin and other lists. From this list, the Cathedral chapter elects the new bishop. The discussion of the list of three and the election of the bishop, whom the Pope then appoints, are reserved for the cathedral chapter. The Vatican had already informed the Paderborn Cathedral Chapter of this, as became known on Wednesday.

Initially, it had been planned in Paderborn that the lay representatives there would at least be involved in the debate on the list of three, and possibly also in the election. According to the decision of the responsible authorities in the Vatican, this is not possible. The so-called Papal Secret to preserve confidentiality could not be extended beyond the cathedral chapter.

Questioning was common before - now official

It was already common practice in many cases to confidentially question individual lay people and diocesan bodies about a possible new bishop. The procedure recently formalised for the first time in Paderborn makes these interviews official and transparent. The confidentiality of the personal details discussed is also to be maintained.

The procedure in Paderborn and Osnabrück implements a suggestion of the church reform project Synodal Path. The Vatican veto against the participation of persons outside the cathedral chapter in consultation and election, although expected, met with disappointment and criticism.

Which lay people should participate?

In the Osnabrück Diocese, the nine lay representatives are to come from different areas of church life - such as youth, full-time and voluntary workers - according to the will of the Catholic Council, said chairperson Katharina Abeln to the Catholic News Agency (KNA). There would be a "good mix" of genders and generations.

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