German bishops meet again with Rome on “Synodal Conference”

There had been a stormy ad limina visit by the German bishops in November 2022, during which Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Cardinal Prevost's predecessor as head of the dicastery for Bishops, warned Catholics across the Rhine of a “latent schism.”

Consequently, the Holy See and the DBK agreed to hold regular meetings to discuss their disagreements and try to find a way out of the crisis. Wednesday's meeting in Rome was the fourth of its kind.

At the heart of the disagreements between the Holy See and the majority of German bishops is the agenda adopted by the latter at the end of the “Synodale Weg,” the German synodal path that took place between 2019 and 2023. This process, launched in response to the abuse crisis, resulted in controversial measures. They call for profound changes in the organization of the Church, particularly in terms of doctrine. Pope Francis criticized it on several occasions.

One of the most contentious issues concerns the creation of a “Synodal Council,” a kind of assembly that the German synod plans to establish in 2026. It is designed to allow democratically elected lay representatives to participate fully in the governance of the Catholic Church in Germany.

The stated goal is to perpetuate the experience of the “Synodal Path.” It would thus allow for continued discussion among lay people and bishops on issues such as authority, the role of women, sexual morality, and the priestly lifestyle.

The Holy See has repeatedly opposed this project, considering that it challenges the authority of the bishop. This was stated by Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Luis Ladaria Ferrer, and Marc Ouellet on January 16, 2023, in a letter sent to the German bishops and approved in its specific form by Pope Francis. They asked them not to create a synodal council.

These warnings were subsequently reiterated by the Vatican during several meetings, with the German bishops promising that they would act in accordance with canon law.

During the meeting between Holy See officials and German bishops in June 2024, the two sides agreed on a modus operandi. The Germans could continue to prepare for the creation of a synodal body subordinate to the Episcopal Conference, but they agreed that its statutes would be submitted in their entirety to Rome for approval.

As a sign of this development, the communiqué published on Wednesday refers to the creation of a “synodal conference” rather than a “synodal council.”

On the Roman side were Cardinal Prefects Victor Fernández (Doctrine of the Faith), Kurt Koch (Christian Unity), Pietro Parolin (Secretary of State), and Arthur Roche (Divine Worship), as well as Bishop Filippo Iannone (Bishops).

The DBK was represented by its president, Bishop Georg Bätzing (Limburg), and its secretary general, Beate Gilles, as well as Bishop Bertram Meier (Augsburg), Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck (Essen), Bishop Stephan Ackermann (Trier), and spokesperson Matthias Kopp. 

Bishop Stefan Oster (Passau), one of the few bishops opposed to the conclusions of the German synodal path, was also present as a guest speaker.

Pope Leo XIV is well aware of what is at stake in these meetings. He personally participated in the last two, held in 2024, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. Although he didn’t attend this latest meeting, he received two German bishops in audiences on Wednesday and Thursday.

The first was the Bishop of Augsburg, Bertram Meier, a former member of the Vatican diplomatic corps, which makes him an essential link in the dialogue between Rome and Germany. The second was Bishop Heiner Wilmer of Hildesheim, former superior of the Dehonian Fathers in Rome. More in sync with the recommendations of the German Synod, he was at one time announced as possible prefect of the dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2023, before Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández was appointed to the post.

In the only interview he has given since the beginning of his pontificate, the Pope expressed his opposition to another measure put forward by the German synod, namely the recognition of same-sex unions. He also criticized the blessing rituals for “people who love each other” practiced in “Northern Europe” — particularly in Germany — stating that the controversial document Fiducia Supplicans, published during Francis' pontificate, allowed for “blessing all people,” but not for “ritualizing any kind of blessing.”