Why does Pope Francis again criticise the German Synodal path?

Pope Francis (in a letter just published dated 10 November 2023) is again highly critical of the German Synodal Path saying he has told them several times that they are not allowed to set up a Synodal Council for Germany made up of clerics and lay people.

I see the German Synodal Path (SP) as a far superior example of Synodality because:

* The SP is made up of equal numbers of clerics and lay people

* The lay people at the SP were appointed by the Catholic Lay Association

* The SP was open and transparent with all papers published online and all assemblies broadcast

* The SP included all important topics on their agenda

Whereas at the Global Synod (GS) in Rome:

* The GS is made up of 79% clerics and 21% lay people

* The lay people at the GS were all selected by bishops

* The GS was held in secret and assemblies were not broadcast

* The GS excluded important topics from their agenda

I wish that Pope Francis would agree to meet with Bishop Georg Bätzing and Ms Irme Stetter-Karp who could explain how Synodality is working in Germany.

I see the main hope for the October 2024 Synod in allowing decentralisation i.e. that some countries can move ahead while others resist all reform. Unity in diversity is our best hope.



Colm Holmes