Frankfurt, Germany, Feb 7, 2022 / 12:00 pm (CNA).
A plenary meeting of the German Catholic Church’s “Synodal Way” ended on Saturday with votes in favor of draft texts calling for same-sex blessings and changes to the Catechism on homosexuality.
Participants backed a document on Feb. 5 entitled “Blessing celebrations for couples who love each other” by 161 votes to 34, with 11 abstentions, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.
They also endorsed further discussion of a text on the “Magisterial reassessment of homosexuality” with 174 votes in favor, 22 against, and 7 abstentions.
The text says that “passages 2357-2359 and 2396 (homosexuality and chastity) of the Catechism should be revised” as part of a “re-evaluation of homosexuality.”
The votes came on the final day of the third meeting of the Synodal Assembly, the supreme decision-making body of the Synodal Way, in Frankfurt, southwestern Germany.
The Synodal Way is a controversial multi-year process bringing together Germany’s bishops and laypeople to discuss the way power is exercised in the Church, sexual morality, the priesthood, and the role of women.
The Synodal Assembly consists of the bishops, 69 members of the powerful lay Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), and representatives of other parts of the German Church.
On the event’s first day, members approved an “orientation text,” setting out the Synodal Way’s theological underpinnings, as well as a document on “power and the separation of powers in the Church,” reported CNA Deutsch.
On the second day, they supported texts calling for the ordination of women priests, for priestly celibacy to be optional in the Latin Church, and lay involvement in the election of new bishops.
On the last day, participants endorsed a total of four documents.
The text “Magisterial statements on conjugal love” was accepted for further consideration by 169 votes to 30, with 6 abstentions.
The document, which also calls for alterations to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, says: “Spouses take responsibility for the timing of becoming parents, for the number of their children as well as the various methods of family planning. This is done in mutual respect and personal conscience.”
“In this sense, in the Catechism should be amended: 2366 and 2367, 2396 (conjugal fertility), 2368-2370, 2399 (regulation of conception).”
The last text approved on Feb. 5, the “Basic order of serving in the Church,” appeals for reform of employment laws in the local Catholic Church, which is the second-largest employer after the state in Germany. It passed its first reading by 181 votes to 13, with 11 abstentions.
Archbishop Nikola Eterović, the apostolic nuncio to Germany, addressed the assembly on Saturday.
He said: “The pope often speaks of synodality and the positive aspects associated with it, but equally encourages avoiding a false understanding and errors.”
“As characteristic aspects of synodality, the Bishop of Rome mentions above all: synodality is a gift of the Holy Spirit; it is the way towards an ecclesial community whose task is mission, the evangelization of the world today; the synodal Church requires the participation of all, albeit at different levels.”
“At the same time, Pope Francis warns against parliamentarism, formalism, intellectualism, and clericalism.”
The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declared in March 2021 that the Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions.
The Vatican statement, issued with the approval of Pope Francis, sparked protests in the German-speaking Catholic world.
Several bishops expressed support for blessings of same-sex couples, while churches displayed LGBT pride flags, and a group of more than 200 theology professors signed a statement criticizing the Vatican.
Priests and pastoral workers across Germany held a day of protest last May during which they conducted blessing ceremonies attended by same-sex couples.
The next Synodal Assembly will take place in Frankfurt on Sept. 8-10. The Synodal Way is expected to end in spring 2023, ahead of the Synod on Synodality in Rome in October next year.
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Laughable.
Will not be accepted by Vatican. Pope Francis did say that this exercise was about the structure of the Church and ways to evangelize in today’s world.
Obviously, a group of activists have stacked this council and so taken control of it. This has been their strategy for many years. They have taken over the unions, the media, some protestant groups …
How nice that the Pope is worried about “parliamentarianism and formalism.” But not sin. This synod is a blunt demand by the German Bishops to rubber-stamp a “do your own thing” mentality, regardless of morality, where sexuality and other issues are concerned. What the Germans propose is a blue-print for schism, as what they WANT to become has never EVER had acceptance in the Catholic Church. The Germans should be told to recant. If they cannot or will not, they should be shown the door.Homosexuality has always been deemed a sin in the Catholic church. Foot stamping aside, I dont see this changing. In short order the schismatic Germans will find themselves becoming yet another Protestant sect of no importance.
LJ, well said and AMEN!
Please pray for Bishop of Passau, Germany: Stefan Oster.
See my “website” link for his recent remarks regarding Germany’s Synodal Path IV.
Where is Pope Francis…why even let the German Synod, with its leading bishops and many priests, make such declarations?
AMORIS LAETITIA is yielding its predictable heterodox fruit.
The four Cardinals knew this and the Pope’s silence was indeed an answer.
Now what?
And no response from the Vatican regarding the German Schismatic Synod. They get a free pass. But the Jack boot is reserved for Catholics who love and want to preserve the Traditional Latin Mass.
Ok..the changes seem inevitable and the catechism will be reversed
But what about reversing an 18 wheeler through Ottawa? Not relevant from a Catholic angle
Although Martin Luther never had the intention of starting a new church when he nailed his theses on the cathedral door, these Germans might want to follow suit and exit the Church Christ started. If you don’t agree with Church teaching, you owe it to yourself and to the Church to join a “church” that supports your thinking. Any Christianity-lite denomination will welcome you.
Excuse me, He Smashed the Alter and threw the Papal Bull into the Fire! He Died,mocking God, proclaiming he was imortal and would never die, struck dead, right then and there.
Not sure I see what the problem is.
Judging from the article, I don’t think those German bishops said a single word in Latin.
Too good, Salty.
Pope Francis has, by his words and actions, let us know that he does not support these activists for change. Lat month, when the Pope received a document signed by thousands of Germans opposing this group, he made his views very clear.
Various sites including Catholic Culture brought it to our attention. “The fact that Pope Francis arranged a public meeting with some of the German Catholics who signed the manifesto suggests a strong degree of papal support for the initiative. Further Vatican support was evident in the fact that Cardinal Kurt Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, celebrated Mass for the German delegation—as did Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the secretary to Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI.”
Pope Francis had written to the German Church leadership in November 2020, expressing concerns about some of the radical proposals of the Synodal Path. But the German bishops continued the process undaunted, and the manifesto observes that the Pope’s objections were “simply ignored.”
Pope Francis will not ignore these people but he will reject their views.
So nice, it is time to remove the sixth commandment entirely. The church should as well bless fornicators and adulterers. The church needs to have a new understanding of what it means to express love. Marriage should also be scraped entirely. Finally we can come for the church to be scrapped.
Hang on to your Chatachism from St. Pope John Paul 2 the great, If you don’t have one. It is time to buy one. Get one before your not able to.
This is so disgusting,You will see a mass Exodus,to the Latin Rite, and a Huge split in the Church. I’m already at the point where I won’t give one red cent to the Church, That they would even be Discussing this is repugnant!