Action #machtlichtan of the kfd

It is a simple and enlightening sign: The Catholic Women's Community of Germany invites for Wednesday evening to the action #MachtLichtAn. Thousands of flashlights are to shine symbolically against abuse of power in the church.

Interviewer: Tonight, the dark corners of churches in many congregations will be illuminated. How dark it is at the moment?

Prof. Dr. Agnes Wuckelt (Deputy Chairwoman of the Catholic Women's Community of Germany / kfd): Pretty dark. The so-called abuse study, which attempted to clarify the sexual abuse of minors, has already brought some small corners of light. But with it this so-called abuse scandal is still by far not completely cleared up. Above all, it is still about the abuse of adults – especially of adult women. Dark is also that the power structures are so hardened and encrusted that they simply cannot be blown up.

Interviewer: They will illuminate the doors of many parishes throughout Germany with flashlights. How exactly did you come up with this idea??

Wuckles: The idea was born out of our experience of making demands, which we are also reading out again this evening, decades ago. And we have noticed that it does not help to only put press releases, announcements or positions in writing into the world.

Above all, we have noticed that the local women also want to do something. Because this experience, that nothing really changes, makes one faint. The desire to do something – perhaps to really go out in public and express what moves us in horror but also in loss of trust in the church – has led to the fact that we have said: We are doing an action. What was very important to us: We don't light candles, candles spread a warm ray of light. But we take flashlights, which really make clear through their bright light once again: It's all about the big picture

Interviewer: Passers-by can also participate and sign postcards with the demands. What exactly happens with these postcards?

Wuckelt: We are collecting these postcards until 31. December. This means that the passer-by has the opportunity to reconsider whether she wants to sign it and can read what is written on the card in peace and quiet. At the Spring Plenary Assembly, we hope to hand over baskets of these postcards to the German bishops.

Interviewer: How exactly is the response so far? Do many women's communities join in?

Wuckelt: The response is incredibly great. Of course, it is difficult for us at the federal level to see on the spot in which churches something is actually going on. But we can see that 70.000 postcards have been called up. That's already quite a lot. If we look at the pages of the individual diocesan associations of the kfd, we can read entire lists where it is published at which churches women meet today.

The interview was conducted by Verena Troster.