Pope Francis on 24. May 2019 in the Vatican. © Stefano Spaziani/Romano Siciliani (KNA)
Pope Francis addresses all German Catholics in a letter published Saturday. The main topic is the "Synodal Way" in Germany. In the debate of the local Church, the universal Church must not be forgotten.
Pope Francis has personally intervened in the reform debate of the Catholic Church in Germany. In a letter published Saturday, he praises the commitment and reform efforts of German Catholics. At the same time, Francis urges unity with the universal church. The guiding criterion of renewal must be evangelization.
In the 28-page letter "to the pilgrim people of God in Germany," the pope encourages the planned synodal process. Catholics should not be discouraged by the growing decline of the faith, even in traditionally Catholic areas.
"No pandering to the zeitgeist"
Francis, however, warns against seeing the church as an organization that could be changed solely through structural debates, better administration and a perfect apparatus. In the letter, published in Bonn and Rome, the head of the Church does not comment on specific controversial ies, such as the ordination of married men to the priesthood.
Not a pandering to the zeitgeist, polls and media should determine the reform process, Francis stresses. Nor, he said, is it productive to try to return to old habits that would have made sense in other times. What is necessary is to follow "a common path under the guidance of the Holy Spirit". "Evangelizing constitutes the proper and essential mission of the Church," Pope adds. It leads to regaining the joy of being a Christian, he said.
Francis warns against loss of world church perspective
The Pope encourages Catholics to be very open to non-believers and people on the margins of society. They should "open up and go out to meet our brothers and sisters, especially those who are found at the thresholds of our church doors, in the streets, in the prisons, in the hospitals, in the squares and in the cities".
With regard to the relationship of the Church in Germany to the universal Church and the "binding synodal path" initiated by the German bishops, the Pope emphasizes that particular Churches and the universal Church live from one another and are dependent on one another.
That doesn't mean you can't move forward, change or debate, he said. But the important thing, he said, is the perspective of being part of a whole and preserving unity. Local churches are diverse and have their own traditions and problems, he said. But looking at the big picture can prevent people from getting lost in limited questions and losing sight of the bigger picture.
Bishops had decided on synodal path
After intense wrangling, the German bishops had decided on a "binding synodal path" in March; they are responding, among other things, to the abuse scandal and the massive loss of trust. The process, with the participation of the Central Committee of German Catholics and external experts, will deal with ies such as power, sexual morality and the lifestyle of priests. A forum on the role of women in the church is under discussion.
Further procedure to be determined in early July. A first round of meetings is to be held in mid-September.