The pulpit: Often the place for the sermon © Uwe Aranas (shutterstock)
Seesorge head in Munster diocese sees little chance of introducing lay preaching in Catholic Mass celebrations. At a nationwide "Preacher's Day," the Catholic Women's Community of Germany recently promoted the topic.
Although she could imagine that the understanding of the sermon of non-ordained women and men in the church reform debate would change, Maria Bubenitschek told the online portal kirche-und-leben on Friday. As for the necessary approval from the Vatican, however, the head of the Department of Pastoral Care dampened expectations. "It seems rather difficult to me at the moment," said Bubenitschek.
She ames that lay preaching will be addressed as part of the Synodal Way reform dialogue, the pastoral care office director stressed. According to Catholic church law, only bishops, priests and deacons – that is, ordained men – may preach at a Mass. On other occasions, laypersons may also preach a sermon "if this is necessary under certain circumstances or advisable as useful in individual cases".
Experiences from a nationwide "Preacher's Day
The Catholic Women's Association of Germany (kfd) in the diocese of Munster recently called on Bishop Felix Genn in an open letter to introduce lay sermons in Catholic mass celebrations. The association referred to experiences from a nationwide "Preacher's Day" with which it had already promoted the topic in mid-May.
The Catholic Church in Germany is currently in a reform debate. The so-called Synodal Way is to deal primarily with the ies of power, sexual morality, the way of life of priests and the role of women in the church. With input from lay Catholics and outside experts, the bishops want to clarify their positions on these ies.