Catholic women at war with each other in Germany. The Synodal way of doing things comes at an enormous cost.

"Unpleasant climate for discussion"

Why Anne König resigned as Chairwoman of the Catholic Women's Association of Germany (kfd)

She wanted cost-cutting measures and more services for local groups instead of political campaigns – and encountered internal resistance. CDU Member of Parliament Anne König explains to COMMUNIO why she stepped down from the leadership of the Catholic Women's Association.

Anne König, the national chairwoman of the Catholic Women's Association of Germany (kfd), has resigned from her position, as the association announced on Friday – at her own request and with immediate effect. The CDU Member of Parliament from Münsterland was only elected to the position last June. The trigger for her resignation is internal conflict, as König confirmed to COMMUNIO. This involved the finances and the direction of the women's association.

These conflicts were triggered by internal disputes, as König confirmed in response to a COMMUNIO inquiry. Speaking to COMMUNIO, König explained:

"For many months, I tried to push forward the urgently needed cost-cutting and reform process in the interest of kfd members. A number of diocesan boards and relevant members of the national board were unwilling to support this process on points that were important to me and demanded different priorities."

She spoke out against "higher membership fees" and instead advocated for a reduction. To achieve this, she proposed "extensive cost-saving measures"—including a "careful reduction in expense allowances for the entire board." König cites the "expectations and interests of the vast majority of our members," who did not primarily join a diocesan or national association, but wanted to be active locally. This apparently met with resistance.

König said she was particularly irritated by the "unpleasant atmosphere of discussion" at the higher levels of the kfd board.

A drastic membership fee increase planned for the turn of the year 2023/2024 recently sparked debate within the Catholic Women's Association (kfd) and led to the resignation of numerous members and entire local chapters. Representatives of local groups complained that only a fraction of the increase would remain locally, with the lion's share having to be passed on to the higher levels of the association. The association is rapidly losing members. While there were 450,000 members in 2016, only 265,000 were counted in 2024.

Anne König says that "many functionaries on the regional boards" are "less focused on mutual strengthening in faith and the strengthening of local communities" and are more interested in "more general political statements and actions." While this desire is legitimate, König argues, it must not "lose the connection to Holy Scripture" or be accompanied by "disinterest in or disregard for the traditional community activities in our local chapters."

The CDU politician emphasized that the primary task of the national association is "to provide good service to the kfd groups and members locally and to do everything possible to support them there." She hopes that her resignation will "promote an internal discussion within the kfd," in which she, as a member, will "gladly participate."

Source