The plenary assembly of the bishops will deal with the processing of the abuse on Wednesday. Bishop Franz-Josef Bode spoke to his fellow bishops about the crisis of abuse and trust in the church during the early morning Mass.
Against the backdrop of ongoing demands for reform, Osnabruck Bishop Franz-Josef Bode calls for a church that is credible, transparent and responsive to people (Video). "Only a church that is pure of heart, that looks at its cards and is transparent, loud and without double standards, that faces reality, will regain trust," Bode said Wednesday morning in a homily to German Catholic bishops in Lingen.
Bode expressed concern about the profound differences of opinion in the Catholic Church. "Opinions about what serves us for salvation are dangerously different in the Church, sometimes contradictory," he explained. He called on the bishops gathered in Lingen to share power and authority with all Christians.
Listening to the will of God
In his sermon, which Bode delivered at the beginning of a bishops' study day on the consequences of sexual abuse by clergy, the bishop spoke of three deep crises of credibility for the church. The first had begun in 2010 "by the uncovered atrocities in supposedly trusting, pastoral relationships of people". In 2013, a crisis of credibility had been added by the non-transparent and unclear handling of church property. "Lately, we are getting into the crisis of credibility by not listening enough to the will of God," Bode said.
This will shows itself "in Scripture and Tradition, but for our theological knowledge also through the reality of life and the history of the world, through what the Council calls 'signs of the times'". Jesus Christ is "more than the signs of the past and of tradition".
At their study day, the bishops should deal intensively with essential questions, Bode warned. This included the way of life and life culture of priests, power structures and the temptation to clericalism, the abuse of power and authority, but also ies of sexual morality and the "appreciation of responsible and bonding relationships between people that meet the supreme standard of love." Here, too, it is a matter of "a louder, more transparent, more credible church with regard to relationships, power and possessions."
At 1 p.m. this site broadcasts.DE the press briefing on the subject live on web TV.