In an interview with the US online medium "The Pillar" (Thursday), he described it as "absolute nonsense" to suspect such a thing.
"Every Catholic bishop in Germany will remain with the Pope, in the Catholic Church, and so will the leaders of the laity. There is no doubt about that," said the former head of the Office of the Synodal Path. Ronge explained the background to the Synodal Path as a reaction to the abuse crisis. Many people had left the church because they saw the church as a system that they no longer wanted to be part of. "That is a real problem, because in the Church we have the task of promoting the Gospel - the faith - and that was impossible under these circumstances," Ronge continued.
Ronge does not see the global synodal process initiated by Pope Francis two years after the start of the Synodal Path in contrast to the German reform dialogue: "Both paths are linked, and we have also endeavoured to do this with the Pope and the Vatican, but we have some specific issues to resolve in Germany."
The Synodal Path is about addressing the issues identified in the problems identified in the MHG abuse study of dealing with power in the church, the role of priests and women and sexual doctrine: "On the synodal path, we are tackling these issues that prevent the possibility of evangelisation. The alternative is not to change, to remain rigid, and then there is no chance - because people will no longer follow the Gospel."
The Synodal Way also proceeded spiritually, as the Pope wanted, "perhaps in a uniquely German spiritual way".
The meetings of the synodal assemblies were characterised by church services and many moments of silence.
In spring 2023, the Synodal Path ended for the time being with its fifth Synodal Assembly.
The reform dialogue had begun following a decision by the German Bishops' Conference, which 2019 as a consequence of the MHG abuse study it had commissioned. to tackle the problems identified there together with the laity.
Together with the DBK, the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) became the sponsor of the the globally recognised and controversially discussed reform process.
Several times Pope Francis and high-ranking representatives of the Curia in the course of the process.