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Irme Stetter-Karp, spokeswoman for the Synodal Path
Photo: Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images
Despite severe criticism from the Vatican, German Catholics want to continue their reform process.
"Our next synodal assembly is scheduled to take place from September 8th to 10th, 2022 in Frankfurt am Main," said the President of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), Irme Stetter-Karp, on Friday.
Stetter-Karp is also President of the Synodal Path reform process.
The fifth synodal assembly will follow in March.
"Of course we will stick to this plan," she assured him.
The declaration from Rome showed her that a personal exchange between the Holy See and the Presidium of the Synodal Path was "overdue," said Stetter-Karp.
The Vatican has so far refused such a direct conversation with her.
On Thursday, the Roman central administration made it clear that the synodal path in Germany was "not authorized" to develop new forms of leadership and a new orientation of Catholic teaching and morals.
The Synodal Path, which has been running since 2019, aims, among other things, for a renewal of Catholic sexual morality and an improved position of women in the church.
The reactions to the Vatican's clarification in Germany varied.
The Catholic reform movement »We are Church« described the Vatican declaration as »harsh and unjustified criticism«.
The theologian Daniel Bogner told the dpa news agency that it was a "poor and needy document".
The theologian Julia Knop evaluated the declaration as an "attempt at a word of power" with the message: "We will block everything you propose, even if we cannot prevent your debates."
Church members, who had previously expressed skepticism about the planned reforms, welcomed the Vatican's intervention.
"I think it's good that the Holy See has decided to make this declaration," said Bishop Bertram Meier of Augsburg.
Meier had stated in the past that there was no prospect of women being admitted to the priesthood.
The canon lawyer Thomas Schüller expects that the ranks of reform-ready bishops and believers will now close even further.
"However, in my opinion, the Roman stop sign will motivate the significant group of undecided diocesan and auxiliary bishops to vote against reform projects that deviate too much from the current teaching of the church," Schüller told dpa.
He therefore expects that the two-thirds majority required by the bishops for reforms will not be achieved in the end.
»This will plunge the synodal path into a deep crisis and confirm Rome.«
The Roman Embassy did not come as a surprise to Bonn canonist Norbert Lüdecke, as he told the Düsseldorf Rheinische Post.
Critical signals from Rome have always been “reinterpreted as support”.
"It was only a matter of time before the Holy See got in touch," says Lüdecke.
In addition, laypeople are not negotiating partners or adequate discussion partners for Rome in any case in doctrinal matters.
Lüdecke: »You can find that unworldly, arrogant, disrespectful or impudent, but you should know that it is Catholic.«
lmd/dpa