💥BREAKING💥
Four German bishops vote against funding Synodal Committee

They’ve said the Committee violates Pope’s instructions, and that the Synodal Way has caused “unrest” in the Church

A huge development—and a huge blow to Synodal reform efforts 🧵

de.catholicnewsagency.com/news/13431/vie… The four are:
-Cardinal Woelki (Cologne)
-Bishop Oster (Passau)
-Bishop Voderholzer (Regensburg)
-Bishop Hanke Eichstatt

By voting no, they’ve blocked the Synodal Committee (set to begin Nov 10) from accessing diocesan funds, aka, the German Church tax.

Sr. Ganz: I would like to live my vocation as a women religious, but I can only live *part* of my vocation.

Many speakers say something similar, asserting that a subjective sense that they’re supposed to be priests means that objective Church teaching should change to match +Voderholzer (Regensburg): reads a quote: “Maybe the Catholic Church, due to its own structures, is the last threshold of humanity when it comes to differentiating the access of different genders.”

He is one of only 3 bishops to publicly vote against SW’s controversial proposals

Now: Voting on Members of the Synodal Commission🧵

The Synodal Commission will work to establish the permanent, national Synodal Council.

https://twitter.com/jlliedl/status/1634455473809137664

They’ll vote on TWENTY delegates who will join the 27 bishops and 27 lay people already designated for the committee.

German Synodal Way, Day 3 🧵:

Up first: “Dealing with gender diversity”

Opening speaker says this isn’t just important for the minority of non-binary people, but for all of us to discover our gender identity. The promise of life God makes through the words of the prophet Isaiah are empty if people’s true gender identity is ignored.

Affirming people’s gender identity is not only a human right but a Christian duty.

I’m providing some running highlights from German #SynodalerWeg. But if you want timely news stories on all the significant developments, best bet is to check out @CNAdeutsch: faithful, fast, and actually German! Nothing in Catholic media compares!

Translated links below!🧵 Prelude to the last synodal assembly: Synodal path should "make the church fit for the future”: …catholicnewsagency-com.translate.goog/news/12757/auf…

Synodal path confirms text as basis for discussion about celibacy, women's ordination: …catholicnewsagency-com.translate.goog/news/12758/syn…

German Synodal Way: Vote on Action Text “Blessings for Couples Who Love Each Other” 🧵

https://twitter.com/JLLiedl/status/1634164825264644099

Key background: back in the September assembly, the foundational text on sexual morality/anthropology FAILED to pass after less than 2/3 of the bishops agreed to support it. It prompted hysterics, demand to know how bishops voted, got rid of private vote

catholicnewsagency.com/news/252247/af…

#SynodalerWeg Press conference beginning 🧵

https://twitter.com/jlliedl/status/1634102965597356032

Dr. Beates Gilles begins by commenting on Maria 1.0’s criticism of last night performance at the Frankfurt cathedral. Said the performance was all about empowering victims of clergy sexual abuse. The Synodal Way has said it’s proposals are about addressing the sex abuse crisis.

I couldn’t be up there, but this was the entry hymn for Mass at the Synodal Way assembly. Funky! The Kyrie.

German Synodal Way: Day 2 🧵

Final votes on implementation texts related to:
-lay preaching
-blessing of same-sex sexual relationships
-“joint consolation and decision making”
-“dealing w/gender diversity”
-“women in sacramental ministry”

Also, feedback from int’l observers Starting things off with a musical performance that “captures the sound of the rising sun" [no live translation of lyrics]

Psych, I’m at the cathedral. How could I pass this up. twitter.com/i/web/status/1… The Synodal Way is all about getting the youth back to Church and making Catholicism credible, so one wonders: do they think turning a cathedral into an iMax theater is how to do it?

Next up at #SynodalerWeg: Implementation text on “Celibacy of priesthood”

Began with a religious sister talking about how she embraces celibacy, but doesn’t think that should be a requirement for others. There will be a motion to decide between asking the Holy Father to RESCIND v RECONSIDER link between conferral of holy orders and commitment to celibacy.

New #SynodalerWeg 🧵: Vote on the Foundational text: “Priestly existence today.”

Less of an action item, more of a statement of principles. On its second read, which means that this is the final document.

Link to doc: synodalerweg.de/fileadmin/Syno… Doc says theology/practice of priesthood has been in crisis for decades. Broad consensus that:

- A priesthood that is theoretically reserved for heterosexual men alone seems questionable and not compatible with actual practice.

Synodal Way 🧵: “debate on the current situation.”

Starts off with Dr. Julia Knop accusing the bishops of caring more about obedience than “following their own conscience.”

“When the text failed, I saw two bishops smiling at me in a difficult way.” Now a charming Dominican sister, who says she tried to turn on her voting device, and ended up on the speakers list (!).

Couldn’t get the Seewald bio on my ebook reader, so revisited this *gem* by Tracey Rowland in the flight over. Can’t think of better prep for what I’m getting into with the Synodal Way and the state of German Catholicism. Sharing just a few quotes…