Summary
Irme Stetter-Karp, President of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), expresses frustration over a limited decision-making space and slow communication with the Vatican regarding the Synod Council. In an interview published by the Catholic News Agency (KNA) on Monday, she stated that both the ZdK and the Pope’s advisor, Cardinal Georg Bätzing, have not yet responded to multiple letters from the Synod Council’s Executive Committee, which contained decisions made at a full assembly in June 2023. Stetter-Karp claims this is due to concerns within the Vatican hierarchy regarding the acceptance of the ZdK as a partner for dialogue. She stated that their first task was to create an overview of the most urgent issues, including women’s inclusion in church offices, handling of homosexuality, and mandatory celibacy for priests. Moreover, she emphasized addressing systemic causes enabling abuse and concealment. Stetter-Karp also highlighted the need for a new leader of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) to ensure continued support for the Synod Council’s reform path, which is seen as crucial by many due to previous studies on abuse and ongoing lessons learned from them.
Key Topics
Vatican City, ZdK, Synodalkonferenz
