The plenary assembly of the Central Committee of Catholics (ZdK) voted unanimously in favour of the statutes of the so-called Synodal Conference on Saturday, with the exception of one abstention and to great applause.
Many of the members praised the statutes, even if it was clear that reform steps would remain challenging and that the effect of the new body would have to be seen over time.
The Synodal Conference has yet to be approved by the General Assembly of the German Bishops' Conference. The statutes will then be submitted to the Vatican. This could still put the brakes on the project.
Berlin Archbishop Heiner Koch, Spiritual Assistant to the ZdK, spoke of a learning process. "Even the statutes are only a framework for a learning process." He hopes that the learning process will continue. Otherwise it would no longer be synodal. He is very confident that this process will continue in a synodal conference.
The bishops are much more differentiated in their opinions than it sometimes seems, Koch added.
New committee of bishops and laypeople
At the last meeting of the Synodal Committee last week, the bishops and laity unanimously agreed on a constitution for the Synodal Conference following intensive debates.
The new national body of the Catholic Church is to include the 27 local bishops, the same number of representatives from the lay umbrella organisation Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) and 27 other Catholics from across Germany.
According to the statutes, the Synodal Conference is intended to take a position on key developments in the state, society and church in Germany.
In addition, bishops and lay people want to pass resolutions in the new body on important issues of church life of nationwide significance.
Finally, the Synodal Conference is to be given a say in financial and budgetary matters of the Catholic Church in Germany "that are not decided at diocesan level". ZdK President Irme Stetter-Karp said that the financial issues had been the subject of particularly lengthy discussions.
In future, the laity should therefore also have a say in the use of church tax. The Synodal Conference could meet for the first time on 6 and 7 November 2026 in Stuttgart. A second meeting is planned for 16 and 17 April 2027 in Würzburg.
The General Assembly of the ZdK had previously finalised the reform of the statutes and rules of procedure. In future, there will be fewer plenary assemblies, among other things.
The ZdK plenary assembly is the highest representative body of German lay Catholicism and sets the broader guidelines for the work of the lay body.