Are the concrete heads sitting in the Vatican, whom reform-willing Catholics, especially from Germany, despair of? If you can see it that way, it is often seen that way, but it’s not quite like that. You’ll notice that if you delve into the 71-page working paper “Instrumentum Laboris” for the World Synod in October, which has now been presented in the Vatican – coincidentally on the same day that four bishops in Germany blocked the reform process called the Synodal Way again.
For three and a half years, German Catholics – suspiciously observed from the Vatican – have been reforming their church. In spring, a final roadmap was adopted in Frankfurt, which did not go far enough for many reformers, but was approved by the large majority of German bishops. Central is a Synodal Council, in which laypeople will also have equal rights to make decisions – but four conservative bishops, three from Bavaria and Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki from Cologne, are blocking the financing of the new decision-making body.
Reform ideas from believers around the world
Although Francis rejects the German path as too confrontational, energetic and structurally changing, he himself is purposefully driving reforms in his church – as shown by the World Synod project, which he has been pursuing since October 2021 and in which an important stage has now been reached. After reform ideas were collected from believers from all over the world and discussed in seven continental assemblies, the Vatican formulated a working paper for the first of two world synods from October 4th to 29th in Rome – the second is planned for 2024.
Around 290 bishops from all over the world will take part in this synod, but also 80 lay people, including at least 40 women with the right to vote. Even that is new: Up to now, only bishops and religious superiors were admitted. Also different than in the past, the document is not to be understood as a proposal for a resolution that is only to be voted on, but is expressly intended to provide impetus for the deliberations.
The paper does not provide answers, it asks questions – and they go quite far. The possible access of women to the office of deacon is expressly mentioned, i.e. the first level in the hierarchy. Furthermore, a stronger participation of women in managerial and responsible positions should be discussed. Exceptions to the rule of celibacy for priests are also conceivable, such as the ordination of married men or the taking over of a congregation by unordained Catholics.
Instead of power and control, there should be an atmosphere of transparency, encouragement, inclusion and cooperation among officials. More responsibility should be shifted to the national and regional churches and less left to the Pope. Remarried divorced people should be just as welcome in the church as queer people. With a renewed language, the church should become more accessible and attractive. The subject of abuse by church officials or functionaries is also addressed several times.
Pope’s paper gives the reform group “We are Church” hope
The President of the Bishops’ Conference, Georg Bätzing from Limburg, as well as the Bishops Bertram Meier from Augsburg and Franz-Josef Overbeck from Essen will be present at the World Synod in October. In a joint statement on Tuesday, they criticized the fact that the working paper was not specific enough. The DBK statement said that the issues and questions that are emerging worldwide “such as the greater participation of women, the future of the priestly profession, dealing with authority that is linked to the community or the further development of sex teaching” must be given greater attention. “These issues are urgent and cannot be postponed much longer by a synodal church.”
The group “We are Church”, on the other hand, sees “another important step on the path of necessary renewal initiated by Pope Francis towards an inviting church that does not discriminate against people”. The comprehensive catalog of questions will hopefully point the way from a much too juridical, hierarchical church to a comprehensive, worldwide faith community “that can be understood and lived in the very different cultures”.
All of this is just a basis for discussion, but the church led by Francis has made its way. To be continued in October in Rome.