Summary
In a vote of 177 out of 629 eligible delegates at the sixth Synodal Assembly, which took place over the weekend in Stuttgart, German Bishops rejected a proposal for an “upper authority” to oversee clergy reforms. The proposal was defeated by a margin of just two votes (21 in favor and 23 against), with seven abstentions. Despite his earlier opposition voiced through loudspeaker during the assembly, Münchner Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the former president of the German Bishops’ Conference, missed his chance to derail the decision when he voted for the proposal himself. The vote established a synodical practice in Germany after the Synodal Way ended, with national reform decisions being monitored by bishops’ conferences on a regular basis. This development underscores ongoing efforts within the Catholic Church to implement and oversee reforms following the conclusion of the Synodal Way initiative.
Key Topics
Vatican City, Synodal Process, Bishops’ Council
