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With the appointment of its first lay woman secretary-general, and the first anywhere in the world, the German Bishops’ Conference last week wanted to indicate the fruits of the Synodal Path of the Church in Germany. In short, a signal that the changes they are discussing will be implemented, whether Rome wants it or not. A spirit that disregards the letter that Pope Francis sent the conference in June 2019.
That letter from the Pope showed that there was already present, albeit hidden, the risk of a schism caused by the decision of the Church leaders in Germany to have a synod that could have binding decisions. “Every time – Pope Francis wrote – that an ecclesial community has tried to get out of its problems by itself, relying only on its strength, methods, and intelligence, it has ended up multiplying and feeding the evils it wanted to overcome.”
Notwithstanding the formal acknowledgment of the Pope’s letter, the Church in Germany has continued to go its way. And the modus operandi seems to be to proceed with functional reforms, which do not require Rome’s consent, but which can still have a significant impact.
The choice of a female secretary-general goes in this direction. It is not the first time a woman is appointed general secretary of a Bishops Conference. Sr. Hermegild Makoro was secretary of the Southern African Bishops Conference, for instance, and was followed by Sr. Tshifhiwa Munzhedzi, OP, since 2020. Since 2009, Sr. Anna Mirijam Kaschner CPS (Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood) is secretary-general of the Nordic Bishops’ Conference . However, choosing Gilles can be considered somehow a premiere.
Continued below.
MondayVatican – Vatican » Pope Francis, the German question risks putting the whole Church in crisis | MondayVatican
That letter from the Pope showed that there was already present, albeit hidden, the risk of a schism caused by the decision of the Church leaders in Germany to have a synod that could have binding decisions. “Every time – Pope Francis wrote – that an ecclesial community has tried to get out of its problems by itself, relying only on its strength, methods, and intelligence, it has ended up multiplying and feeding the evils it wanted to overcome.”
Notwithstanding the formal acknowledgment of the Pope’s letter, the Church in Germany has continued to go its way. And the modus operandi seems to be to proceed with functional reforms, which do not require Rome’s consent, but which can still have a significant impact.
The choice of a female secretary-general goes in this direction. It is not the first time a woman is appointed general secretary of a Bishops Conference. Sr. Hermegild Makoro was secretary of the Southern African Bishops Conference, for instance, and was followed by Sr. Tshifhiwa Munzhedzi, OP, since 2020. Since 2009, Sr. Anna Mirijam Kaschner CPS (Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood) is secretary-general of the Nordic Bishops’ Conference . However, choosing Gilles can be considered somehow a premiere.
Continued below.
MondayVatican – Vatican » Pope Francis, the German question risks putting the whole Church in crisis | MondayVatican
