How the German bishops buried themselves
A macabre spectacle. This Frankfurt self-burial in September 2022, called "Synodal Path".
1. It is not only since the Second Vatican Council that the bishops, as successors to the apostles, have been appointed to the leadership of the universal church (of course with and under the Pope) and bear a responsibility for the universal church. A large majority of the German bishops have decided to only be responsible for diocesan affairs.
And they are limited to administration or the preservation of monuments, because the bishops have handed over basic pastoral matters to the "Synodal Council". With this, every bishop loses his importance as a shepherd.
2. The “Synodal Council” is responsible for all inter-diocesan affairs, be it in Germany or in the world church. With this, the “German Bishops’ Conference” DBK also loses its importance.
3. The bishops form a minority in the "Synodal Council" because it is composed "according to the Synodal Assembly". If, as is to be expected, the "Synodal Council" is significantly reduced in size compared to the synodal assembly, the auxiliary bishops no longer appear in it.
And very likely, depending on the size of the "Synodal Council", only a selection of diocesan bishops will be able to participate. The fact that the DBK (“German Bishops’ Conference”) is supposed to “carry” half of the “Synodal Council” means financially, but in any case does not mean equal participation.
4. The auxiliary bishops are already excluded from the planning of the council in the so-called committee, while the diocesan bishops are allowed to participate in planning, but make up less than half of the committee. The committee and the later "Synodal Council" are "jointly" led by the "DBK" chairman Bishop Bätzing and the ZdK chairman Mrs. Stetter-Karp.
5. The "Synodal Committee", in which the auxiliary bishops are not involved, not only plans the final "Synodal Council", but already has the authority to make fundamental, universal church decisions, and without the participation of the auxiliary bishops and with a clear minority of diocesan bishops.
With this, the German Bishops' Conference is effectively abolished and every bishop is spiritually castrated as an apostle with responsibility for the entire Church.
Bishops like Meier (Augsburg), even Oster (Passau) and Cardinal Woelki (Cologne) calmly watched their own “funeral”. Whereas the bishops Hanke (Eichstätt) and Voderholzer (Regensburg) as well as the auxiliary bishops Schwaderlapp (Cologne), Zekorn (Münster) and Stolberg (Munich-Freising) fought for the survival of the traditional bishopric! The gravediggers not only of the DBK, but also of their apostle ministry, are the sad troop made up of the bishops of Limburg, Munich-Freising, Trier, Munster, Aachen, Mainz, Berlin and most of them.
Here are excerpts from the decision (emphasis mine): "As an advisory and decision-making body, the Synodal Council advises on significant developments in church and society and makes fundamental decisions of supradiocesan importance pastoral planning, future issues and budgetary matters of the church that are not included to be decided at the diocesan level. The synodal council is composed according to the synodal assembly. The synodal council meets in public. The Synodal Council is chaired jointly by the sitting of the German Bishops' Conference and the / the chairman of the ZdK. Until the synodal council is set up, the synodal committee discusses important decisions developments in church and society and makes fundamental decisions of supradiocesan ner importance to pastoral planning, future issues and budget matters Church that are not decided at the diocesan level. The synodal committee consists of the 27 diocesan bishops, 27 members elected by the ZdK and 10 members elected jointly by them. This committee is supported jointly by the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK). It is headed by the chairperson of the DBK and the chairperson of the ZdK." If you don't believe it, read the whole decision: synodalerweg.de (Explanation: The "ZdK" is the body of the Catholic lay associations, not elected by the Catholic laymen faithful)
1. It is not only since the Second Vatican Council that the bishops, as successors to the apostles, have been appointed to the leadership of the universal church (of course with and under the Pope) and bear a responsibility for the universal church. A large majority of the German bishops have decided to only be responsible for diocesan affairs.
And they are limited to administration or the preservation of monuments, because the bishops have handed over basic pastoral matters to the "Synodal Council". With this, every bishop loses his importance as a shepherd.
2. The “Synodal Council” is responsible for all inter-diocesan affairs, be it in Germany or in the world church. With this, the “German Bishops’ Conference” DBK also loses its importance.
3. The bishops form a minority in the "Synodal Council" because it is composed "according to the Synodal Assembly". If, as is to be expected, the "Synodal Council" is significantly reduced in size compared to the synodal assembly, the auxiliary bishops no longer appear in it.
And very likely, depending on the size of the "Synodal Council", only a selection of diocesan bishops will be able to participate. The fact that the DBK (“German Bishops’ Conference”) is supposed to “carry” half of the “Synodal Council” means financially, but in any case does not mean equal participation.
4. The auxiliary bishops are already excluded from the planning of the council in the so-called committee, while the diocesan bishops are allowed to participate in planning, but make up less than half of the committee. The committee and the later "Synodal Council" are "jointly" led by the "DBK" chairman Bishop Bätzing and the ZdK chairman Mrs. Stetter-Karp.
5. The "Synodal Committee", in which the auxiliary bishops are not involved, not only plans the final "Synodal Council", but already has the authority to make fundamental, universal church decisions, and without the participation of the auxiliary bishops and with a clear minority of diocesan bishops.
With this, the German Bishops' Conference is effectively abolished and every bishop is spiritually castrated as an apostle with responsibility for the entire Church.
Bishops like Meier (Augsburg), even Oster (Passau) and Cardinal Woelki (Cologne) calmly watched their own “funeral”. Whereas the bishops Hanke (Eichstätt) and Voderholzer (Regensburg) as well as the auxiliary bishops Schwaderlapp (Cologne), Zekorn (Münster) and Stolberg (Munich-Freising) fought for the survival of the traditional bishopric! The gravediggers not only of the DBK, but also of their apostle ministry, are the sad troop made up of the bishops of Limburg, Munich-Freising, Trier, Munster, Aachen, Mainz, Berlin and most of them.
Here are excerpts from the decision (emphasis mine): "As an advisory and decision-making body, the Synodal Council advises on significant developments in church and society and makes fundamental decisions of supradiocesan importance pastoral planning, future issues and budgetary matters of the church that are not included to be decided at the diocesan level. The synodal council is composed according to the synodal assembly. The synodal council meets in public. The Synodal Council is chaired jointly by the sitting of the German Bishops' Conference and the / the chairman of the ZdK. Until the synodal council is set up, the synodal committee discusses important decisions developments in church and society and makes fundamental decisions of supradiocesan ner importance to pastoral planning, future issues and budget matters Church that are not decided at the diocesan level. The synodal committee consists of the 27 diocesan bishops, 27 members elected by the ZdK and 10 members elected jointly by them. This committee is supported jointly by the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK). It is headed by the chairperson of the DBK and the chairperson of the ZdK." If you don't believe it, read the whole decision: synodalerweg.de (Explanation: The "ZdK" is the body of the Catholic lay associations, not elected by the Catholic laymen faithful)