“Real development opportunities for us”

Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau is in favor of a new ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Germany, to which bishops must also submit themselves. He could also imagine that lay people would also have the right to propose bishops.

This form of accountability could be "effective more quickly and effectively," Oster said in an interview with the "Passauer Neue Presse" on Saturday. "So far, it is up to the pope alone."

Skepticism about majority decisions

The bishop added that on the subject of abuse, "the question of power is central, here I see real opportunities for development for us". For example, he said, he could imagine lay bodies being given proposal rights in the appointment of bishops. He expressed skepticism about more far-reaching majority decisions in the church. This would "more easily dilute the unwieldiness" of the Good News. The Gospel is "also uncomfortable," the bishop said. "After all, our truth is not simply what the majority wants it to be."

For example, what the church says about sexuality has never been "really modern" but was already "a huge provocation for people in ancient times," Oster said. For the reform debate of the Catholic Church in Germany, the Synodal Way, Oster hopes for a special atmosphere of discussion.

"I want us to really talk at the Synodal Way"

"We are not a parliament, we have a protected space here where everyone should and can freely say what they mean, and preferably without tactics and without political interests. The Holy Spirit cannot work in any other way." This is also how Pope Francis understands the term "synodal". Oster further: "I want that we really talk with the synodal way. I also want to listen and learn."However, the expectations are very high and the positions are very different.

The first synodal assembly will be held in Frankfurt at the end of January 2020.

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Christina Cherry
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