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The next autumn general assembly of the German Bishops’ Conference will be held in Fulda from 19 to 22 September. It falls on the 40th anniversary of the exchange of letters between Germany and Poland, in which the bishops exhorted forgiveness, dialogue, reconciliation and brotherhood. The anniversary is remembered as an important step in the resumption of relations between the two countries. On 21 September, seven Polish bishops will participate in an official ceremony to mark the signing of a joint declaration of the German and Polish Bishops’ Conferences. Various questions are on the order of the day: they include an analysis of the recent WYD in Cologne and the election of the executive of the German Bishops’ Conference, including the heads, assistant heads and secretaries of its various offices (the nominations take place every six years). As is the tradition, the assembly will be opened by the president of the conference, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, with a report on the theme “New signs of the times. Criteria for analysing the situation of the Church and for guiding her actions”. The 68 members of the Bishops’ Conference will also examine the first reading of the draft document relating to the pastoral ministry in prisons and also discuss the socio-political situation in Germany in the aftermath of the general elections on 18 September. Other questions on the agenda are the “Katholikentag 2006” (Catholic Congress) to be held in Saarbrücken next year, a document on the celebration of funerals, the preparation of a common prayer and hymn book and the revision of the German missal. A press conference will close the assembly on 23 September.
