While Church dies on the ground, Synod wraps the Church in bureaucracy. Busybody laity replacing priesthood.

Advisory Council should advise on decisions of the Synodal Path for the Archdiocese

"Synodal Conference": New reform committee for the Archdiocese of Munich

Cardinal Reinhard Marx wants to advance reforms in his archdiocese of Munich and Freising and is setting up a new body for this purpose: the so-called "Synodal Conference". But that is not the only innovation in the archdiocese.

Munich's Cardinal Reinhard Marx wants to set up a "synodal conference" for his archdiocese as part of reform efforts. The committee should discuss decisions of the Synodal Way at the diocesan level, Marx announced on Saturday in Munich. He made the comments at the autumn general meeting of the Diocesan Council of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising, the highest diocesan lay body. The Synodal Way is a reform project of the Catholic Church in Germany. According to the Diocesan Council, a working group is currently working on a precise concept for the synodal conference.

Marx explained: “We need an instrument of unanimity.” Synodality is not about unanimity, but about unanimity and togetherness, "not against each other, like between a government party and an opposition." Marx added that it was important to him that not only the resolutions themselves, but also their practical implementation emerged from synodal consultation. Because “the decisions of the synodal path must be made synodally even in our diocese. Only then can one even speak of a synodal process.”

The archbishop added that the aim of the new "synodal conference" is not to take over the work of existing bodies such as the diocesan council, priests' council, diocesan tax committee and bishops' council. Rather, it should meet on controversial and larger strategic issues.

Marx: The foundation of the church is the Eucharist

As an example, the chairman of the diocesan council, Armin Schalk, cited his committee's demand to also commission non-ordained pastors to carry out the preaching service in Eucharistic celebrations. According to the concept, the aim of the synodal conference is to make a majority recommendation to the archbishop, which he can put into effect for implementation or submit for further consultation. “We are unlikely to achieve unanimity, but at least we want to propose a common understanding and action,” said Schalk.

Marx's deputy, Vicar General Christoph Klingan, announced that the archdiocese would reduce its administrative units in the new year. The current 40 deaneries would be combined into 18. “We are not introducing XXL parishes through the back door,” emphasized Klingan. “The parish and the parish association remain the backbone of local church life, but they should work together in a more networked manner.” The new division will be announced soon.

Cardinal Marx also said that he sees the danger of getting hung up on small details in the reform efforts of the Catholic Church in Germany. "Sometimes we get tired in the discussions and we ask ourselves whether that's really what's important. We work through the old conditions without being able to see the new shape." That's why it's important to keep focusing on the "foundation of the church that makes us strong. This foundation is the Eucharist."

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