All modernists must have prizes. Modernists start awarding themselves prizes in the battles for Synodality.

Church reform groups in Austria honour the “#OutInChurch” initiative

German initiative for queer people in the Catholic Church in Vienna honored with "Trumpet of Jericho" - "#OutInChurch" representative Ehebrecht-Zumsande: The Pope's mantra of a church in which everyone is welcome "sounds great, but the reality is different "

The German initiative “#OutInChurch” for queer people in the Catholic Church has been awarded the “Trumpet of Jericho” by the church reform groups in Austria. The prize is an important and visible support for the commitment to a non-discriminatory church. This requires allies, thanked “#OutInChurch” board member Jens Ehebrecht-Zumsande at the award ceremony on Friday evening in the Kardinal-König-Haus in Vienna-Hietzing. The initiative is committed to a “church without fear,” reminded Ehebrecht-Zumsande. This requires a cultural change within the church, said the religious educator employed in the Archdiocese of Hamburg and appealed for steps towards a doctrinal re-evaluation of queer believers.

In these questions, Pope Francis uses “beautiful words” and pastoral language that is only helpful at first glance to disguise the fact that, beyond rhetoric, everything ultimately remains the same, according to Ehebrecht-Zumsande. "This romantic church image of a field hospital and the mantra of 'Everyone, everyone, everyone is welcome in the church' doesn't help me at all because this full-bodied promise is not kept," said the "#OutInChurch" representative, among other things, referring to recent statements of the Pope at World Youth Day in Lisbon. "That sounds great, but the reality is different."

“#OutInChurch” fights for the end of a “toxic fear system” in the church, which particularly affects queer people who work in the church. Being called an asset as an employee, but still a sinner as a private individual, is “paradoxical,” says Ehebrecht-Zumsande.

More than a change in sexual morals

The Catholic Church must move away from a “narrow sexual morality towards a life-serving relationship ethic,” said Ehebrecht-Zumsande. A lot of good things have recently been written and said about the “Synodal Path” of the Catholic Church in Germany.

From the perspective of the “#OutInChurch” board member, recognizing sexual and gender diversity is about much more than just changes in sexual morals. For example, one must learn and speak honestly about where there is structural discrimination in the church, for example against women and queer people. “It’s about more than just individuals behaving in discriminatory ways,” emphasized Ehebrecht-Zumsande. The focus is on teaching, structures and conditioning factors. "It's about the system that enables and promotes this form of exclusion and discrimination." Church leaders must take responsibility here.

Respect for human rights and the possibility of being radically different but still united in a church require a corresponding inclusive pastoral practice, the “#OutInChurch” co-initiator continued. Ehebrecht-Zumsande noted that only one rule is necessary for this: "It says: 'Welcome - just as you are. Look who is still there and treat each other with respect!' I believe we can do that as a church."

According to the company, “#OutInChurch” is an initiative by employees of the Catholic Church in Germany who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans*, inter, queer and non-binary, among other things. The group, now organized as an association with 600 members, went public at the beginning of 2022 with a collective coming out and a manifesto. Over 100 participants were introduced in the accompanying ARD TV documentary “How God Created Us”. "#OutInChurch" made a significant contribution to changing the labor law of the Catholic Church in Germany.

Little hope for World Synod

The chairman of the umbrella organization of Catholic youth associations in Germany (BDKJ), Gregor Podschun, described the discussions of the German "Synodal Way" about a paradigm shift in Catholic sexual teaching in a lecture as part of the award ceremony in Vienna. Podschun has little hope for this from the current synodal meeting in the Vatican. He was convinced that most of those gathered in Rome did not want change. Especially where the church causes suffering to people, synodality fails as a method if all that matters is mutual listening. “We must finally act and protect the people who are suffering,” said Podschun. There can be no compromise here either.

The "Trumpet of Jericho" was awarded for the third time this year. Last year it went to the former missionary, political scientist and Africanist Josef Pampalk; in 2021 the former nun and book author Doris Reisinger was awarded. The prize is awarded by the groups "Laity Initiative", "Priests without Office", "We are Church" and the "Parish Priest Initiative".

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