Vatican rejection of reforms would be 'catastrophe' for German Church

The head of the Central Committee of German Catholics, Irme Stetter-Karp, has urged the Vatican not to reject German Church's reform process, reported dpa.

Speaking at a national Catholic conference in Würzburg, which is held every two years, she said: "I can only hope that we do not receive a stop sign — that would be catastrophic for our local church."

The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) is the supreme lay body of the Catholic Church in Germany.

The statutes for the Synodal Council, in which bishops and lay people are to deliberate and decide together in future, are currently with the Vatican.

Stetter-Karp and Wilmer recalled that the Catholic Church's reform path in Germany had its origins in the abuse scandal, which had been a massive shock — a "destruction of trust," Stetter-Karp said.

Wilmer said: "We must not forget the reason for the Synodal Path."

Crimes had been covered up that "would have sent people to prison," she said.

The Bishops' Conference and the ZdK agreed that as part of reforms in Germany, the faithful are to be given more of a say in Church affairs, and the role of women is to be strengthened.

However, not all bishops in Germany follow this path — conservative church figures such as Cologne Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki and Passau Bishop Stefan Oster have repeatedly voiced criticism.

These bishops had caused "relatively significant damage to us internationally," the ZdK chairwoman said.