Markus Söder did not bless the people sweating in front of him. That would have gone too far. But he would probably have accepted an amen from the lips of his listeners as an adequate reaction to his speech, which lasted a good eleven minutes. In the magnificent park between Suresnes Castle and the Catholic Academy, Söder is not the prime minister this time, but Markus. Mark, the pastor. “I came today to make a confession. The confession to the church and to the faith.” You have to want to take the consistent pastoral pitch out – surrounded by pretty much everything that can be mustered in terms of non-denominational clergy between Munich and Berchtesgaden.
But as is well known, the Bavarian Prime Minister is not lacking in chutzpah. In the role, Söder then gives away messages to the audience from church, society and politics, around 600 people, instead of the greeting noted in the protocol on Tuesday evening at the annual reception of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. “There is hope for me because more people still go to church services than to stadiums or concerts.” Murmuring at the table of the Caritas women: “Hasn’t he miscalculated?” A cool gust of wind drives the leaves of the garden’s monumental oaks like the holy spirit into despondent souls.
According to Söder, the teaching of Jesus has an incredible amount to offer, “even if we may have a small dent in acceptance at the moment”. There are “of course” mistakes that have led to the massive loss of membership in the churches. But whining is not an option. Instead, the church should be more courageous and self-confessed: “We in Bavaria are still in favor of the cross remaining visible in public space!” In the Free State, people believe in the important role of the church and therefore reject the abolition of state benefits. Söder is alluding to the current 77 million euros that are earmarked in the 2023 state budget for the Catholic Church alone. A large part of this is used to pay salaries for church staff.
Attentive listeners: Imam Benjamin Idriz with his wife.
(Photo: Robert Haas)
A waving of women’s fans and invitation cards at the tables. In the meantime, the air in Schwabinger Park is still. Those who feel free from men like Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, regional bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, have long had their jacket over their knees. A real “hotspot of the archdiocese,” vicar general Christoph Klingan quipped in a dark suit as he welcomed the crowd, referring to the fact that the parade was canceled for “reasons of the heat.” In order to immediately enter the self-built language bridge: “We are currently in a hot spot, also in view of the many open questions from the church and the world.”
A familiar face at the “Archdiocese’s hotspot”: cabaret artist Bruno Jonas, who wore his jacket casually over his shoulders because of the sweaty temperatures.
(Photo: Robert Haas)
However, neither Klingan nor later his boss, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, went into the dispute about the cases of abuse. The cardinal emerges from his prominent group of gentlemen, at which the Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) just toasted him, and prefers to look at other things that are not in order – without constantly ” wanting to comment on daily politics”. The church should reflect on guidelines such as the “culture of freedom”. Marx warns against “authoritarian fantasies” that only provide simple answers. You also have to stick to the “uniqueness of life and creation”, whether it’s combating climate change or protecting unborn life. He has confidence in the future of the church and its importance to society as long as “there is a group that worships publicly” and makes it clear “there is a hope that is indestructible”.
“There is a hope that is indestructible.” Cardinal Reinhard Marx next to Max Bertl (left) and Günter Frey from the Trachtenverband.
(Photo: Robert Haas)
Before salmon in brick dough is served and the Monaco Big Band “The Modern-Man-Waltz”, the second host of the evening becomes politically concrete. Armin Schalk has been chairman of the diocesan council, the highest lay body in the diocese, since the fall. He calls for the Christian questions of life protection to be included in current politics, for example in the interdisciplinary commission set up by the federal government for reproductive self-determination and reproductive medicine. There is no theologian on the committee. The Catholics would have to “show the flag in politics and society” and speak up in order to be noticeable again.
The clothes stick when the speech block is done. The afterlife is becoming the stuff of small talk. Author and cabaret artist Bruno Jonas once wrote instructions for use, but at the appetizer counter he swears by this world. Söder started with the topic in his pastoral greeting: “In my opinion, it’s like Brandner Kaspar. I hope to see my parents again and my old dogs.”
Summer Festival Index
Is one summer festival like the other? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that. Specialties in categories:
Meals: “With us, veggie won’t work,” says Markus Söder to the cardinal. Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that. There are the proven forest and meadow mushrooms (with bread dumplings), alternatively gnocchi with spinach. For Söder and Marx: Mediterranean veal rolls or salmon in brick dough.
program: Just a thumbs up, each of the four gentlemen talks for a quarter of an hour. Afterwards the guests from church, society and politics dine and ramble on to the sound of the Monaco Big Band.
Weather: High temperatures even under trees of biblical proportions.
Discovery: The cast is gone. Cardinal Marx broke his arm on a business trip.