A panel discussion in the Church of St. James was about the role of women in the Catholic Church and the most recent cases of abuse.
But many other issues were raised as well.
Lenggries
– Will the Church be extinct in the near future?
Is God a woman or a man?
Why is homosexuality not welcome in the church?
The participants spoke about these and other questions at a panel discussion entitled "Future.Chance.Church." in the Church of St. Jakob in Lenggries.
Young volunteers from the parish had been invited.
About 45 interested people came to discuss with the podium guests.
The suffragan bishop Wolfgang Bischof, who is responsible as episcopal vicar for the pastoral region south of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, and the diocesan chairwoman of the Bund der Deutschen Katholische Jugend, Jana Wulf, whose task it is to represent young people, were invited.
Also on the podium were the theologian and pastoral advisor Judith Müller and the Salesian Father Karl Bopp from Bad Heilbrunn.
Elisabeth Heidacher and Lucia Altmiks from Lenggries moderated the conversation.
Heidacher reports: "The idea for the panel discussion came to us because our parish church is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year and we wanted to offer the young adults something where they could get answers to the current explosive issues in the church." To get the thoughts of today's young people, those responsible started a survey among children on how they assess the future of the Catholic Church.
Both children from church youth work and young people who have little contact with the church took part.
A child imagines the Church as “extinct” in 50 years
For example, when asked how they imagine the Church to be in 50 years, one child replied with the word “extinct” and another said “with more tolerance”.
Father Bopp said: “It is a difficult question.
But I wish that in 50 years the church will be more evangelical, more modern and more diverse.
Also an honest church that you can criticize.” When asked if there would already be a clear change in five years, Bischof said: “I think it has to be really bad before something really changes.
It is difficult, but possible.” In addition, the question was asked whether more needs to be done with youth work in the church.
Wulf said: "In any case, it must be further promoted and there must be priorities.
It would be nice to get more money for it."
bishop finds
that youth work is very important and that opportunities for encounters must be created.
"One frustrating moment is of course the many cases of abuse, which have also unsettled us pastors.
The abuse scandals are a catastrophe and I wish for youth work that at some point there will be a certain freedom from fear again.” On the subject of abuse, the question was asked whether structures needed to be changed.
The auxiliary bishop said: “There must be structures that work.
But the church is already doing a lot for prevention.”
that at some point there will be a certain freedom from fear again.” On the subject of abuse, the question was asked whether structures needed to be changed.
The auxiliary bishop said: “There must be structures that work.
But the church is already doing a lot for prevention.”
that at some point there will be a certain freedom from fear again.” On the subject of abuse, the question was asked whether structures needed to be changed.
The auxiliary bishop said: “There must be structures that work.
But the church is already doing a lot for prevention.”
Theologian Müller emphasized that there should be no more cover-ups.
"In recent years, however, such issues can finally be discussed more openly."
Asked about a funny moment in connection with the church, Father Bopp told of an experience in kindergarten where a child asked him why all pastors are always so old.
"Love is not a sin"
It got more serious again when it came to “transgender” and “homosexuality”.
Wulf said that love is not a sin and promised the young people that they would not be discriminated against in youth work.
"I would love to hang a rainbow banner on every church tower." Müller does not understand this view of the church either, since there has been development in society, but the church has not yet followed suit.
“We have to get out of the taboo.
Many say that homosexuality speaks against the divine nature, but what is nature anyway," says the theologian.
The auxiliary bishop said to the group: “It will be a slow process and people think slowly.
After all, the Church is made up of people.
This was followed by the question of why women and men are not given equal rights.
Wulf replied: "It is a grim reality that previously, when decisions like this were made, there were no women involved.
But some women feel a vocation, so why are they not allowed to become priests?”.
The Auxiliary Bishop said: “It is written in the Scriptures that everyone is equal in faith.
Thus, all theological aspects have already been exchanged, but the question of power has not yet been clarified.
I am convinced that the Church will take on this task”.
And is God a man or a woman?
Bishop clarified, “Jesus was a man.
That is a fact, but God Himself is greater than man or woman."
Lay people need to be involved
The auxiliary bishop has no answer to the personal question about the future in Lenggries, since the priest is about to retire.
He says: “There are not enough priests and lay people have to be involved.
There must also be a willingness to change in the communities."
The conclusion of those involved was that it is most important to stay in touch and to continue working on structures.
Heidacher sees the evening very positively, even if there were hardly any discussions, because everyone - panel and young people - were very much in agreement.
The organizing team would like the contents of the auxiliary bishop to be introduced in the synodal path.
Heidacher emphasizes: "It is the task of young people to keep questioning and not to accept everything that has always been the case".
Stephanie Pfleger
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