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[Catholic Caucus] Vatican urges ‘moratorium’ on German church reform processROME – In what was described as a “frank” discussion in Rome Friday between Vatican department heads and German bishops over their contested “Synodal Path” reforms, a proposal to cease and desist the process was made and rejected.62 German bishops were in Rome this week for their ad limina visit, which bishops’ conferences make every few years in order to meet with the pope and various Vatican departments to provide an update on local church affairs.Notably, the German bishops this week did not hold separate meetings with the pope and Vatican...

Bishops sign letter warning that Germany's 'Synodal Path' could lead to schismMore than 70 bishops from around the world have released a "fraternal open letter" to Germany's bishops warning that sweeping changes to Church teaching advocated by the ongoing process known as the "Synodal Path" may lead to schism.The letter expresses "our growing concern about the nature of the entire German 'Synodal Path,'" which the signatories say has led to confusion about Church teaching and appears focused more on man's will than God's.“Failing to listen to the Holy Spirit and the Gospel, the Synodal Path’s actions undermine the credibility of...

[Catholic Caucus] German Archdiocese Hires Self-Identified Transgender Man to Teach Religious EdA German diocese has defended its decision to grant a biological female who identifies as a transgender man permission to teach Catholic religion to schoolchildren, amid questions over whether it is attempting to sidestep canon law and the Catholic Church's teaching on sexual morality.“I can confirm that Mr. Theo Schenkel is granted a permanent teaching license for Catholic religious education in state schools,” a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Freiburg told CNA on April 7. Since canon law precluded the trainee teacher from receiving the requisite missio canonica of...

Back Again: German Bishops "Allow" Lethal InjectionGermany is in the process of enforcing assisted suicide ("euthanasia") after their Constitutional Court claimed in February 2020 that the ban on "businesslike euthanasia" contradicts a "right to self-determination".The bishops and protestants in Lower Saxony and Bremen published an "ecumenical declaration" on this on 16 March, signed by Bishops Bode (Osnabrück), Wilmer (Hildesheim) and Theising (Münster auxiliary bishop).They justify assisted suicide in individual cases [= always], "Whether in borderline and emergency situations an assisted suicide can be tolerated in church houses cannot be answered in a general way" [= it is allowed].Wilmer (Hildesheim) said...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Brandmüller: Demands of German Synodal Way ‘Clearly Contradict the Catholic Faith’In a March 3 essay entitled ‘Quo Vadis, Germania,’ Cardinal Walter Brandmüller explained what he saw as the historical ‘roots of the crisis’ VATICAN CITY — The Synodal Way of the Church in Germany is on the “wrong track that is lost in nothingness,” rooted in the heresy of modernism that theologians have yet to properly address, and is destined to fail, Cardinal Walter Brandmüller has said.In a commentary published March 3 on the German-speaking website Kath.net and titled “Quo vadis, Germania” (“Where are you going, Germany?”),...

[Catholic Caucus] Sub Petro? Marx, Hollerich, and the 'synodal path'Delegates to the German “synodal way” voted last week in favor of a document calling for liturgical blessings of same-sex couples and the sacramental ordination of women. The day before, a Luxembourg cardinal called for a “fundamental revision of doctrine” on homosexuality. And Germany’s most prominent cardinal, on the same day, gave the controversial view that permitting married men to become priests might ameliorate the sexual abuse crisis.Of course, it seems certain that the Church will not adopt the positions called for by the synodal path and the cardinals in question....