Aachen Bishop Dieser: Rome does not understand us properly
The Vatican rejects the reform efforts of the Catholic Church in Germany. In view of the differences, Bishop Dieser of Aachen would like to see better communication - "at eye level".
Aachen (KNA) Bishop Helmut Dieser of Aachen is concerned about the Vatican's criticism of the Synodal Path reform project of the Catholic Church in Germany. "I have the impression that we are not being properly understood in Rome," he said in an interview with the Catholic News Agency (KNA). "We don't do some of the things that are criticised there. I would like to see a different kind of communication between the Vatican and the German Church. At eye level."
On Friday, the Vatican will receive a delegation of German Catholic bishops to discuss the Synodal Path. Rome has repeatedly criticised the reform project. For example, the Vatican rejects the plan to establish a so-called Synodal Council as a joint decision-making body made up of clergy and laity.
Bishop Dieser expressed the hope that the upcoming meeting would lead to greater understanding. Such a direct exchange would have been needed much earlier. Unfortunately, the laity, who are co-chairs of the four thematic groups in the Synodal Path, had not been invited. "This is not the style of leadership that we are trying to establish in Germany."
According to the bishop, the exact structure of the Synodal Council has not yet been finalised. This should be worked out further - by the committee that was also recently banned by Rome. "We bishops rejected the first proposal for the organisation of the council. This proposal would have meant that a bishop would have been in the minority and would have had to go to an arbitration board in the end," he said. "'Catholic' works differently: you can't be Catholic against the Pope or against the bishop, but only with the Pope and with the bishop. Then a lot is possible."
With the Vatican declaration that homosexual couples can be blessed in private, the Pope has not changed doctrine, according to Dieser. However, he believes that this is the beginning of a further development of Catholic sexual morality. Everywhere in the Catholic Church, it is recognised that there are queer people in its own ranks. "It is then often allowed to be ignored, which leads to terrible double standards and lies." The church needs to be more honest here. "I don't think we've said everything there is to say about human sexuality," says Mr Dieser. He is co-chair of the synodal forum on sexuality and partnership.
The bishop expects that the churches in Germany will become a minority in the medium and long term and seriously lose social relevance. "Politicians will no longer want to win elections with us." Nevertheless, the churches will remain socially relevant "because our message has lost none of its power and topicality". One of the first duties of Christians is their social commitment. "And this means we remain highly effective for the common good, which is generally recognised."