Which departure?

“The Church in 2011: a Necessary Departure”. It is the title of a memorandum released on February 4th in which 150 theologians from German, Austrian and Swiss university faculties demand general reforms within the Catholic Church. Starting with the scandal of abuse within the Catholic Church, the scholars demand reforms in all sectors of ecclesial life “to exit the standstill and resignation due to an underestimation of the crisis”. In the memorandum, among other things, without questioning the importance which the Church ascribes to marriage, the bishops invite not to exclude same-sex couples along with remarried, previously divorced, faithful. Follows an excerpt of the stands conveyed by the German Catholic environment on the memorandum.Responsibility and clarity. In a press release issued on February 4 Father Hans Langendörfer Sj, secretary of the German Bishops’ Conference, cautiously conveyed the Bishops’ view on the memorandum, valuing “positively” the fact that many professors of theology “wish to contribute to the debate on the future of faith and the Church in Germany”. “For over twenty years, the ongoing dialogue amongst German bishops and theologians” has “benefited both sides”. In their statement the bishops underline that “in a series of issues the memorandum is in tension with theological beliefs and ecclesial binding tenets.” Such issues “require urgent further clarification”, “more than just a concession by the bishops is needed to address the challenging questions of the Church in Germany”. “Cumbersome questions cannot be escaped”, point out the bishops in the statement, which announces, “The next plenary meeting of the German Bishops’ Conference will in turn develop proposals and suggestions for further reflection”. The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZDK) gave a positive assessment of the theologians’ request. “The statement fully complies with the purpose of the initiative of dialogue undertaken by the German Bishops’ Conference and by ZDK”, said in Bonn Theodor Bolzenius, spokesperson of the organization of German lay Catholics. “We welcome the continuation of the dialogue continues along with the diversity of opinions that have been conveyed”. Furthermore, added Bolzenius, “these are the themes which the ZDK views as important”. Who is in favour. The Katholische Frauengemeinschaft Deutschlands (KFD), a body that brings together German Catholic women, approves the proposed reform of the Church presented by the theologians. Along with the requests for a stronger role of women in the Church and the opening to women deaconship, the organization highlighted a series of issues that deserve to be addressed, which include “the vow of celibacy, a new sexual ethical code, the attitude towards divorced faithful and the future of ecumenism”. Positive views were equally conveyed by the Federation of Young German Catholics (BDKJ). “It’s ever more evident that the Church needs changes”, said the Federal president of the organization Dirk Tänzler. The executive of the Cusano Works (Cusanuswerk), a Catholic foundation providing grants for education, asked the German bishops “to address the requests conveyed in the memorandum also in Rome”. Christine Hoffmann, Secretary General of the peace movement “Pax Christi”, observed that “with clear words” the authors of the document “give an important thrust to change” and highlight “the importance of the laity’s involvement”. Criticism. Some bishops gave a negative view of the requests presented by theologians. “Celibacy belongs to the identity of the Catholic Church”, which “embodies the special qualities of Jesus’ lifestyle”, said Msgr. Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, bishop of Limburg, at the end of a conference organized by the Catholic Charity “Kirche in Not”. The auxiliary bishop of Hamburg Hans-Jochen Haschke, while admitting that “discussions and clarifications on celibacy” are needed, guarded against a ‘light’ form of Christianity that conforms with social trends. In a statement, Msgr. Heinz Josef Algermissen, bishop of Fulda, underlined: “The memorandum addresses the requests for reform constantly advanced inside the Catholic Church. Given the difficult situation experienced by the Church, notably resulting from the sexual abuse case, a dialogue process is to be hoped for. “However”, Algermissen points out, “it must not be blocked in principle by an attitude of superiority that deposes or undervalues the German bishops”.