This study, commented on by one of its authors, is interesting for two reasons: it gives an image of young German clergy who distance themselves from the current which is carrying their elders through the madness of the Synodal Path, and it demonstrates the total incomprehension of the authors of the study and their tendencies, which are anything but Catholic.
The researcher first notes that “the results [...] confirm the stereotypical image that we have of priests.” They were “young priests with an average age of 37. Their way of being clearly distinguishes them from their contemporaries in the general population.”
He explains: “they come from Catholic, single-faith families, have had a religious education within the Church, and have had strong impressions of the Church during the decisive phase of their socialization.
“They hold conservative—if not outdated—ideas about the occupation and function of the priest. Furthermore, they support conservative conceptions of both the Church and society. The exceptions to this model are in the minority.”
He adds: “they present similar motivation patterns in their profession: the parish, the liturgy, and the popular Church.”
The following commentary is revelatory: “the majority of priests, with their traditional Catholic habitus, are less and less representative, on the social level, of centrist circles, as was already the case a few decades ago. They increasingly constitute a conservative fringe, demographically aging and losing momentum.”
To get out of this “scenario,” the researcher wants “a systematic reorientation of all aspects of the Church—from moral questions to its administrative practices. Will the Church continue to follow the conservative line and recruit men in keeping with that, or will it open up to the diversity of modern society?”
Young Priests Are Not Interested in Synodal Reforms
Another observation that dismays the researcher: “generally speaking, [the synodal reform processes] are of little interest to young priests. When asked how the Church should be reformed, more than three-quarters of young priests mention more spiritual depth or a more marked orientation toward the transmission of faith content.”
And around a third “declare themselves in favor of increased participation of the laity in the Church.”
The themes “of democratization in the Church or the abolition of the obligation of celibacy are only supported by around 30% of those questioned.” Finally, “only one priest in four would vote for the ordination of women.”
The researcher finally notes that “the study showed that young priests aim rather to live their own spirituality and to be pastors. But this image no longer corresponds to reality, because today, priests, ever fewer in number, are often expected to manage large parishes grouped together as curates.”
In other words, the priest should become a manager, while the laity take care of the ministry... Modernists no longer have any idea what the priesthood of Jesus Christ really is, and they want to reshape the Church in the image of the world around them. Fortunately, the grace of God is still at work in preserving what can be preserved in priests today.