Archbishop Georg Gaenswein has warned that the Synodal Path in Germany could divide the Catholic Church.
The reform dialogue initiated by the German bishops and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) had led to “tensions within the Catholic Church in Germany and with the Holy See”, Gaenswein said in an interview with the Bavarian Media Group published on Tuesday.
The Vatican had on a number of occasions clearly and unambiguously pointed out boundaries that had to be taken seriously. “I pray and hope that a split can be prevented,” Gaenswein said.
He added that he doubted whether the Synodal Path, given the direction it had taken, had been the right response to the abuse crisis. The issues dealt with in the consultations, such as sexual morality, the handling of power in the Church, the role of priests and the role of women, went far beyond the necessary response to the abuse crisis. “This has created a risk that special paths lead out of the unity of the Universal Church.”
Gaenswein said he did not believe the Synodal Path had any binding legal power. In addition, the initiative did not give answers to the actual needs of the faithful, said Gaenswein. The archbishop and long-time confidant of the late pope Benedict XVI, is still considered one of the most important German representatives in the Vatican.
Originally reported by KNA Germany.
