A new beginning

After 15 years Regensburg once again hosted the plenary meeting of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), gathered for its plenary session. 66 bishops of German dioceses attended the meeting, held from February 27 to March 1st. Theological faculties, the continuation of the process of dialogue inside the Church, the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and a set of liturgical issues were the major items addressed. Follows a synopsis of the meeting. Theology: a precious resource. The bishops dedicated a day of study to the evolution of Catholic theology faculties and the young generations of scholars, a theme addressed on several occasions over the past decades. "With 20 faculties and 34 institutes we are currently witnessing a wide presence of theology in academic environments", states DBK’s final declaration. "We must ensure the continuation of such presence" which "represents a precious resource. We acknowledge the importance of university structures in terms of the quality of formation and in the dialogue with other disciplines. Theology is important for the universities", the bishops said, mentioning nine prominent universities run by dioceses and religious orders, that coexist within public structures. In the light of a decrease in theology students and considering new generations of students and teachers, "strategic planning" is needed, bearing in mind that "dioceses and regions are tasked with taking the final decision" to this regard.Continuation of the dialogue process. "The plenary assembly decided to establish a process of dialogue in 2010", the bishops write, "which refers to the fiftieth anniversary of Second Vatican Council". In the meeting that took place last year in Mannheim a process was set up "that does not envisage decisions or formulas, but rather openly asks what will be needed by the Church of tomorrow". "In the last session of the permanent Council of January 2012 in Würzburg we did an inventory of the manifold initiatives in the dioceses", the bishops said. "We already see that the process is supported by many Catholics at diverse levels". An important step in this dialogue process is the 98th Katholikentag (German Catholics Day), due to take place in Mannheim in May with the title: "Daring a new beginning". German bishops expressed their gratitude to the Holy Father for having called a ‘Year of the Faith’ starting October 11 2012 with the celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council" which for us "is an encouragement to follow the path of Church": "We have to be a pilgrim Church, that listens and serves. The Year of the Faith that the Holy Father is donating us invites us to address this year in particular. It’s a spiritual event that will accompany our dialogue process in a special way".Many appointments. "Along with the process of dialogue and the Year of the faith called for the universal Church the bishops will hold the Synod for the New Evangelization, due to take place in the coming month of October", the document states. "As German bishops we are grateful that the Synod coincides this year with the anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. This highlights the fact that the new evangelization takes place necessarily on the Council foundations". The bishops also announced that "in continuation of the session inaugurating the dialogue process launched in Manheim a year ago, a second event will take place in Hannover next September 14-15", dedicated to the theme of Diakonia. It is a question of "presenting social plurality as a challenge of the Church, along with the question of plurality and the unity of the Catholic realm, transmitting action at the level of diakonia and pastoral care highlighting Church commitment in the public sector and charity". With the Hannover meeting German bishops wish to "step us ecclesial union of participants and bring examples on how this year’s theme can be experienced concretely, giving a stronger profile to lived faith". In this sense, they remark, the "annual meeting is geared towards providing thrust to dialogue in dioceses and within associations".