Bishop Franz-Josef Bode wants to report to Pope Francis from the women's forum of the reform dialogue Synodal Way of the Catholic Church in Germany. "If we want to achieve something overall, we have to keep the relationship with Rome," Bode said.
"Currently we intend to go to Rome with the presidium of the Synodal Way to talk with the Pope and some men of the Curia," Osnabruck's bishop told the magazine "Woman and Mother" (Thursday) in Dusseldorf.
Because of the Corona crisis, the trip has not yet taken place, but it is to be made up for. "Then I would have the opportunity to tell about the women's forum directly," Bode said in the membership magazine of the Catholic Women's Community of Germany (kfd).
Dispute over women's priesthood not over
"If we want to achieve something overall, we have to keep the relationship with Rome during the Synodal Way," Bode went on to say. 'I would be in favor of a kind of European regional synod, like the Amazon Synod'."
Last October, bishops and religious from Amazonian countries met at the Vatican to discuss problems in the region. In addition to environmental degradation, one of the topics was the pastoral role of women and married men in the areas, some of which are sparsely populated.
"I think the debate about whether women should also be allowed to be priests is not over," Bode said. To our site, the bishop had recently expressed a cautious attitude on this ie. In "Woman and Mother," he showed an overall willingness to reform. The church's dogmas, he said, were "developed to be given to the discussion of their respective times".
Open to woman heading bishops' conference
Referring to the soon-to-be vacant post of secretary to the German bishops, Bode said, "The bishops' conference has agreed in principle that the post can be filled by lay people. Accordingly, it can also become a woman."Long-time secretary Father Hans Langendorfer wants to carry out the task until the end of the year at the most.
After intensive wrangling, the German bishops had decided on a binding Synodal Way in spring 2019. The main topics to be discussed are power, sexual morality, the way priests live their lives and the role of women in the church. With input from lay Catholics and outside experts, the bishops want to clarify their positions on these ies. Bode presides over forum on women in ministries and offices in the church.