Synod of Synodality has consequences. Germany wants to democratize the Church in its country

The implementation of synodality in the planet is progressing. The Catholic Church in Germany is determined to make democratic structures of power. However, 1 crucial associate in this process expresses crucial reservations about the methodology of the synod of Francis.

Fr Michael Berentzen is simply a priest of the Diocese of Münster. He participates in the works of the Synodal Way, including the creation of a fresh German body governing the Church, the Synodal Council.

In an interview with the Katholisch.de portal, he said that the Roman Synod on Synodality is an crucial impetus for Germany to proceed its activities. This is especially about the Synod Council. It is to be a body composed of bishops and laymen who will take over the actual direction of the Church in the West Germany. The Synodal Department is presently working, which prepares the Council's uprising. Earlier, German plans were repeatedly harshly criticized by the Vatican; the Roman Curia even issued circumstantial orders, prohibiting Germany from continuing its work. But Fr Berentzen believes that the Synod of Synodality indicates another way.

– I am going to the next gathering of the Synodal Department, in December, reinforced and motivated. The Synod has entrusted us with a mission to proceed the way on which, as a local Church in Germany, we will realize how to establish the synodality more firmly at national level and fill it with more vital content. That's what Division is. said Fr Berentzen.

Under criticism from the Vatican, Germany has introduced any adjustments in their plans, but they have not abandoned the nonsubjective of establishing the Council. 4 bishops gave up their participation in the creation of this body, reasoning that the thing was incompatible with the hierarchical constitution of the Church. Most bishops have, however, joined the work; as you can see, the Holy See cannot or does not want to definitely block it.

Fr Berentzen besides pointed out an crucial problem regarding the synodal process. In PCh24.pl, we have long stressed that in the synod consultations, which were organised at the level of the parish and diocese, there were actually very fewer people. In most countries it was no more than 1% of Catholics. However, synod propaganda speaks constantly about the will of “the people of God”, as if everyone in the Church wanted the same thing. This suggests a plan to make top-down changes so as to be able to support the alleged will of the majority. Fr Berentzen pointed to the same problem, however, unlike PCh24.pl, he has of course progressive views.

– Throughout the synod process, it was constantly said that the full people of God had been asked before. What precisely does that mean? It is apparent that this is not a actual statement. Only a tiny percent of believers participated in the debates before the synod, and for applicable reasons the conclusions were filtered at respective levels. At the end of the process, there is simply a danger that decisions will be legitimized by the claim that everyone was active – even if circumstantial groups of people believe that their viewpoint has not been taken into account at all. We request not only transparency, but besides theological explanations, as well as why decision-makers can invoke the People of Gody – indicated.

Source: Katholisch.de

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