Press release from CHURCH REFORM. AT on February 20, 2024
on Cardinal Schönborn's remarks on the Synodal Council in Germany
Cardinal Schönborn is afraid. He fears a split in the Catholic Church if people who have not been ordained priests in the leadership would have something to say. He thinks that the participation of the laity is contrary to the constitution of the Church and the theology of the Council.
If he is right, and there is indeed much to be said for this, it is high time to renew this constitution of the Church. On the one hand, to speak of "synodality", which in Greek means to be "on the path together", and on the other hand, to vehemently oppose a collegial leadership of people with and without priestly ordination, is logically incomprehensible. Synodality needs commitment, transparency and a well-regulated participation of all in decision-making, if it is not to remain an act of grace of the consecrated towards the baptized.
This refusal of co-decision cements the power of consecrated men over non-ordained citizens. The legitimacy and monopoly of the current ministers to act in the name of Jesus Christ in our church and to lead the church is and has been reduced to absurdity, not least by the crimes (sexual, financial, spiritual) of countless ministers.
The defensive attitude towards the so-called laity is a punch in the stomach for people who are committed to and in this church with theological competence and spiritual depth, but without priestly ordination. Their commitment and willingness to take on co-responsibility is rejected with canon law, which is not very close to human beings, and with dogmatic formulation. People who see their baptism as a vocation to "be church" and therefore also to participate in decision-making and support as a mission, are coldly rejected. This is contempt and discrimination.
Continuing to leave the leadership of the Church only to consecrated men leads it to utter insignificance, at least in the northern/western hemisphere for the time being.
"It is incomprehensible and regrettable how disloyal Cardinal Schönborn is to his German counterparts. With its Synodal Path, the German Catholic Church is doing essential preparatory work for the universal Church - also for the Church in Austria." Helmut Schüller
"This letter from Rome is grossly negligent and 'not a question of patience', as Cardinal Schönborn suggests." Gidi Außerhofer
"The reform groups from all over the world have submitted to the Synod a draft of a Church Constitution that corresponds to the principle of synodality. So far, there has been no response. So much for appreciating the work of experts who do not have been ordained priests." Martha Heizer
Contacts:
Helmut Schüller,
Gidi Außerhofer,
Martha Heizer,