Rejection of permission for lay preaching sparks negative reactions and open defiance of Rome

Those who ask in Rome get an answer: The German bishops received a refusal from Rome regarding their request for permission for laypeople to preach. They are answerable to the faithful who desire reform—and dissatisfaction is running high.

The Vatican is not granting the German bishops permission to allow laypeople to preach during Mass. The Roman authority responsible for matters of divine worship announced the decision on Tuesday. It was also a topic of discussion at a meeting of local bishops in Berlin on Tuesday, according to the spokesperson for the German Bishops' Conference. Nevertheless, the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) expects the bishops to secure a special arrangement for laypeople.

ZdK President Irme Stetter-Karp stated that they had "not been involved" in the request. It is a fact, she noted, that the Synodal Path had adopted the text "Proclamation of the Gospel by Laypeople in Word and Sacrament" in March 2023, with significant participation from the bishops. "We therefore expect the German bishops to reaffirm their position on the matter to Rome, to strengthen their arguments, and under no circumstances to interpret Cardinal Roche's letter as a discouragement," Stetter-Karp explained.

kfd: A sign of a lack of equality

The Catholic Women's Association of Germany (kfd) viewed the response from Rome as "another sign of the lack of equality for women in the Catholic Church." "As long as women remain excluded from key ministries despite their competence, their calling, and their commitment, the Church continues to lose credibility," said Ruth Fehlker, spiritual leader of the kfd (Catholic Women's Association) federal association.

"The decision demonstrates once again the vast gap between the pastoral realities of many local churches and the directives issued from Rome," said Fehlker. "The question is no longer whether women are capable of preaching. The real question is why those in charge in Rome continue to ignore the charisms and vocations of both women and men."

"We Are Church": "A decision based on principle, out of touch with reality"

The lay movement "We Are Church" described the Vatican's refusal as "a decision based on principle that is completely out of touch with reality." Given the aging priesthood in Germany and the minimal number of new recruits, "strict application of this rule would lead to the further exhaustion of the remaining clergy and the draining of parishes and congregations," the initiative explained.

The Roman document responds to a request from the Chairman of the Bishops' Conference, Bishop Heiner Wilmer, to allow non-ordained men and women with theological training to preach during Mass. In doing so, Wilmer was acting in accordance with a demand made by the German Synodal Path. Call for Ongoing Formation of Priests

The Vatican’s Department for Divine Worship, led by Cardinal Arthur Roche, pointed to general canon law, under which the interpretation of Scripture during Mass is "reserved to a priest or deacon as an integral part of the liturgy." The rationale given is that the ministry of proclamation and the celebration of the sacraments are intrinsically linked, thereby constituting two forms of the exercise of spiritual office. There can be no exceptions to this rule, the statement noted, even "in the presence of serious pastoral considerations."

In this context, the Vatican drew attention to the obligation of ordained ministers to pursue ongoing formation. It is necessary, the statement suggested, to acknowledge the "real challenges" that often compromise the quality of homilies. According to Catholic teaching, responsibility for the educational standard of the clergy rests with local bishops.

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