By CNA Deutsch
CNA Deutsch, Nov 4, 2024 / 16:50 pm
Embracing the spirit of unity and collaboration, four German bishops have expressed their appreciation for the recent Synod on Synodality that concluded on October 27 in Rome. Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne, and Bishops Gregor Maria Hanke, OSB, of Eichstätt; Stefan Oster, SDB, of Passau; and Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg have affirmed their commitment to the path set forth by the Roman synod, inviting fellow bishops and members of the Church to join them.
The bishops stated, “[We] are willing to embark on the path initiated in the Roman synod with their fellow bishops and with as many other participants from as many Church groups as possible.” They expressed their gratitude for the final document of the 16th World Synod of Bishops, which Pope Francis has endorsed and made public.
Bishop Oster, who participated in the Synod on Synodality, emphasized the inclusive nature of the synod, where non-bishops were given the right to vote for the first time. The bishops highlighted the importance of recognizing the Holy Spirit as the driving force behind a synodal and missionary Church.
With a sense of gratitude and unity, the bishops stand behind the message of the final document of the 16th World Synod of Bishops, acknowledging the role of the Spirit in shaping a synodal and mission-oriented Church. Their commitment to collaboration and inclusivity reflects the essence of the recent synodal discussions in Rome.
The Synodal Way in Germany: A Path of Conversion
Four of the five main headings of the document speak of ‘conversion’ to which the Holy Spirit calls — of conversion in the heart of every baptized person, of conversion in relationships, in processes, and in commitments.
“The essential goal of a synodal Church is also strongly emphasized: the mission and the formation of missionary disciples who go together to proclaim the Gospel and invite people into friendship with Christ,” the bishops said in their statement.
Many of the proposals formulated in the final document confirmed and released by the pope are “already structurally possible in Germany, especially through the numerous bodies of consultation and co-determination that already exist.” The task, the German bishops said, is to “contribute to their spiritual deepening, to the improvement of participation, and to a stronger focus on mission.”
There is “hope that the continuation of the Synodal Way in Germany can also be a path of conversion,” Woelki, Hanke, Oster, and Voderholzer explained.
“[We] experienced the meetings in Frankfurt as contradicting what the Synod of Bishops in Rome consistently practiced in a ‘safe space’ (Pope Francis) — a setting where spiritual discernment, mutual trust, listening, and a focus on missionary discipleship could flourish. In [our] view, these essential elements were largely absent in Frankfurt.”
“Instead — according to [our] impression and that of many others — there was a parliamentary-like process of pure majority procurement and not of spiritual discernment, as the final document urges us to do,” the bishops said. “In this way, a large majority in the chamber with a liberal attitude to Church policy issues wanted to push through their issues under massive, public pressure. In doing so, however, it has caused quite a few irritations and injuries among the entire people of God.”
“The Frankfurt Assembly’s exclusive identification of four main topics as those that would structurally favor abuse hardly holds up according to current knowledge,” the four bishops pointed out. “Moreover, two of the four topics (celibacy and sexual morality) were not addressed in the final document of the World Synod of Bishops. On the question of the possible participation of women in sacramental ordination, there is no new state of affairs after the World Synod of Bishops.
