After three days, the spring plenary assembly of the German bishops ended today. Ingo Bruggenjurgen has had an eye on the meeting and reports on many construction sites that urgently need to be worked on.
Interviewer: In the current situation in which the church finds itself, it was a difficult conference for the bishops, wasn't it??
Ingo Bruggenjurgen (Chief Editor our site): You can say that again. In the Corona situation, the bishops met for the first time in the more than 150-year history of the plenary assembly not in real life, but digitally. Anyone who has been involved in digital conferences of this size knows that it is a huge challenge.
Then, of course, we have the current debate about coming to terms with sexual violence, with the epicenter in the Archdiocese of Cologne. Of course, this is currently also overshadowing the debate. In his closing statement, the chairman of the Bishops' Conference, Bishop Georg Batzing, once again made it clear that one should not only focus on the Archbishop of Cologne, but that this was the task of all the bishops.
Interviewer: And what did the other bishops besides Batzing say? How did they react?
Bruggenjurgen: Makes you want to be a fly on the wall. We would have been very pleased about a corresponding zoom link. But the bishops are meeting behind closed digital doors. But as one hears, then there should have been just on this point, when the topic of sexual violence was on the agenda, no questions at all to the Archbishop of Cologne. That is a bit surprising.
At the same time one hears from Batzing that the topic played a role in all contributions somewhere and in the moods, which was not to be expected otherwise. But Batzing made it clear that there had of course been no demands for resignation from this round. That would be a completely wrong expectation, Batzing said in the press conference. And there is an effort to keep the ranks closed here.
We also have to take into account that all bishops who have been in office for a long time have similar tasks or perhaps similar problems and difficulties in their dioceses. That does not make things any easier.
Interviewer: Have the bishops been able to agree on a unified position on the Synodal Way??
Bruggenjurgen: Bishop Batzing said: "We argued well like a family and we discussed constructively. And then we agreed on the fact that we have to argue theologically and that the different positions have to be brought in.
So, there was a lot of talking, a lot of questions that were asked. But one could see that especially in these difficult questions, which determine the synodal way, there are very different receptions among the bishops.
It's an open secret that on the one hand there is a small but select group of bishops who say that the whole place can't be completely rearranged, that there is an appropriate structure and an order to which it is necessary to adhere.
Others refer to the signs of the times. One must urgently discover the social realities – the love of reality, as one bishop put it – and then position oneself accordingly.
So there is still a lot of music in it.
Interviewer: Which other important building sites were there, which were worked off by the bishops??
Bruggenjurgen: This includes, on the one hand, the election of a secretary general at the head of the highest ecclesiastical administration. In the past, it was always called "Secretary of the German Bishops' Conference". For 25 years, the Fr. Langendorfer. The term "secretary" was obviously not wanted after all. So now there is a general secretary. That is a strong signal, especially to the women's associations, which are increasingly getting on the church's nerves. This is not only Maria 2.0.
Then the important topic of "assisted suicide" was also discussed again. Here the bishops try to hold their position. No one should die by the hand of a human being, but by the hand; so meaningful accompaniment.
The other sticking point, "Communion", was of course also discussed again, especially now for the upcoming Ecumenical Church Congress. Also on the question of the Eucharist, Batzing made it clear that this will not be a long exchange of letters, but a long discussion that one has to get involved in.
And last but not least, the bishops have of course not left out the plight and misery at our European external borders, the situation of the refugees.
So there are really many building sites that the bishops have to work on very quickly and where progress is urgently needed.
Interviewer: What is your conclusion?
Bruggenjurgen: I would rather have the real conferences. Then one sits also very long before closed doors, but then always times a bishop comes out and they have then nevertheless the heart on the tongue. Then you learn more than in so digital conferences.
But what we could see as journalists was a sovereign Bishop Batzing, who is now one year in office. He quickly moderated away the 17 points on his final press conference paper.
At the same time, he made it clear once again, and I don't think it was a secret, that these questions about sexual abuse and the abuse of power have really overshadowed many things. And here you can see on all sides that this is a very toxic topic that sows a lot of mistrust in all areas.
Here the church is experiencing a catastrophic loss of trust. There is really still a long way to go. And there it is really not enough to look only at Cologne, but there you have to broaden your view, because this is the task of the entire church, to finally, finally and quickly, quickly, quickly get into the right waters here.
The interview was conducted by Uta Vorbrodt.