We don't feel like celebrating in the face of right-wing populist movements in many countries. We live in a time in which hatred, exclusion and right-wing extremist groups are becoming a danger to our democracy. Some see Trump's re-election as a triumph for the patriarchy supported by the super-rich. Where is the democratically negotiated political action that includes and respects women's rights and also minorities?

A few days ago, the Filipino journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Angelita Ressa presented the following analysis of the times to media people in the Vatican: 71 percent of the world 's population is ruled - and the trend is increasing - by autocrats who are democratically elected but act anti-democratically. New technologies insidiously manipulate the roots of our democracies. “Social” media has gone from being a communication network to a means of mass manipulation. They make money out of anger and hatred and polarize entire societies. Social isolation also weakens our critical thinking and our empathy.

Wars are fought with missiles and tanks, but also with algorithms, disinformation and the systematic destruction of the truth and our community of trust. The ethical rule “Don’t do to anyone else what you don’t want someone to do to you” no longer applies. Online violence leads to real-world violence, and they all reinforce each other, says Maria Angelina Ressa. She sees two major fault lines in many societies that are being torn apart regardless of country and culture: growing misogyny and increasing xenophobia. Uncontrolled and uncontrollable power is increasingly resembling a cult.

In view of these new, destructive zeitgeists all over the world, which fundamentally contradict the message of Jesus, our faith and the churches are challenged. Formally the Roman Catholic. Church is still an absolutist monarchy. But she is changing. The rediscovery of synodality and personal responsibility (subsidiarity) by Pope Francis are strong prophetic signs and courses of action in view of the dangerous growth of autocratic power systems in the political world. Synodality can be a much stronger instrument than we have previously appreciated. Synodal action could be much more helpful in a damaged and suffering democracy than constantly harping on against each other. Listening, perceiving nuances and other positions is strenuous and time-consuming, but it ultimately leads to the goal faster and fairer than quick decisions. But this requires a change in mentality towards more dialogue and participation. Here the synodal processes in Germany as well as in the universal church – difficult as they are – can be exemplary. At a time of political upheaval in which authorities, especially authorities from above, are no longer easily accepted, church synodality could motivate and stimulate democrats worldwide.

Democracy comes from the people – in the church we speak of the “people of God”. In a democracy, decisions are prepared through debates – in synodal processes, through listening. This is where the subtle difference lies. While in democracy the simple majority decides, in synodal decision-making processes the largest possible majority is sought, where the Spirit of God wants to lead the community. For this we need strategic hope, sustainable confidence and a progressive, positive narrative.

We Are Church – German federal team
Sigrid Grabmeier
Lioba Hochstrat
Susanne Ludewig
Heinrich Mix
Konrad Mundo
Christian Weisner
WSK Spring 2025 Newsletter

We are Church 100 days after the final document of the World Synod in Rome (= 3 February 2025)

Press release, Munich, 23 January 2025

100 days after the final document of the second plenary assembly of the World Synod has been approved in Rome on 26 October 2024 by a large majority of all participants and immediately put into effect by Pope Francis, the reform movement We Are Church is once again calling for the rapid implementation of urgently needed reforms in the local churches. Time is running out! The success of the World Synod now depends on the local churches!

If the promising momentum of the two synods in Rome in 2023 and 2024 is not to fizzle out, concrete reform steps must now be taken at the local church level very soon. For in section 94 of the final document of the World Synod, it explicitly states: ‘Without concrete short-term changes, the vision of a synodal church will lack credibility, and this will alienate those members of the people of God who have drawn strength and hope from the synodal path. The local churches must find ways to implement these changes.’ On 25 November 2024, Pope Francis explicitly confirmed the final document of the World Synod again in a ‘Nota’ as part of the ordinary teaching authority.

The How: Discussing and Implementing Reforms

The World Synod first defined the framework for how a synodal church should be designed in order to meet the goal of ‘community, participation and mission’ (the title of the synod). With this synod, Pope Francis has made a significant contribution to church history, one that builds on the baptismal dignity of all church members.

From now on, the entire church community is to be involved in all essential decisions at the respective levels, and not only in an advisory capacity.

For the bishops, transparency and accountability apply not only to the Pope, but to all believers.

For Germany, the decisions of the World Synod provide a strong tailwind with regard to the synodal committee, because the Pope has issued a doctrinal mandate to establish committees at all levels of the Church for participation and co-decision. This means more than just being heard.

The four of the 27 German bishops (Woelki, Voderholzer, Oster, Hanke) have thus been deprived of the basis for their refusal of the synodal committee and its financing.

The what: contextually developing and implementing specific reforms

The World Synod addressed many reform issues, i.e. what needs to be reformed, but important issues were deferred, not yet specifically regulated or left open. This has bitterly disappointed many people around the world who had already expected concrete decisions.

What did not happen at the World Synod must now be tackled all the more urgently in Germany in synodal cooperation between bishops and ‘lay people’ without delay and with determination.

What does not require the approval of Rome can and should be implemented by the bishops immediately in their dioceses. Time is of the essence.

But canon law will also have to change. This has already been addressed in the final document.

With regard to the ten working groups into which the Pope has outsourced topics from the World Synod, We Are Church calls for their results to be published transparently before the end of 2025 and for their implementation to be carried out in a synodal manner, i.e. with the involvement of the local churches.

Transparency and comparability of implementation

We Are Church considers it imperative that church leaders immediately and clearly inform the church base about the results of the World Synod and the further steps towards reform at the local level.

Successful implementations of church action (‘best practices’) should be published as examples for other dioceses. In particular, the elected committees, such as priests and diocesan councils, should contribute to this. The pressure of expectation for concrete results is rightly high. Whether the church will regain public reputation depends on concrete action.

The research on the internet and in the German dioceses, carried out by Wir sind Kirche together with the parish initiative, has so far only partially yielded further results. The research covered information, actions, events, (new) committees and statements by the local bishops after the end of the World Synod.

Link to the updated evaluation

Reforms can only succeed together

The German bishops and committees should join forces with other local churches in Europe if they want to be heard in the Vatican.

Isolated proposals from Germany have so far not been taken into account in Rome. Only together can they succeed in countering the massive loss of credibility caused by abuse, cover-ups and the backlog of reforms. The further actions of the archbishops and bishops in Germany are to be measured by the participation of the entire church people as well as by the transparency and accountability of the bishops.

Press contact:

Paul-G. Ulbrich (We Are Church / Parish Initiative)
Tel. 0157-8845561, E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Konrad Mundo (We Are Church Federal Team)
Tel. 030-5433982, E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Christian Weisner (We Are Church team)
Tel. 0172-5185082, E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

More on synodality: www.wir-sind-kirche.de/synodalitaet