In accordance with the wishes of the Holy Father Francis, the representatives of the Roman Curia and the German Bishops' Conference (Deutsche Bischofskonferenz, DB) met today, 28 June 2024, in the Vatican for further talks, continuing the dialogue that began with the ad Limina visit of the German bishops in November 2022 and continued until the last meeting on 22 March 2024.

The one-day dialogue was once again characterized by a positive, open and constructive atmosphere. The basis was the agreement of 22 March 2024, which provides for the elaboration of concrete forms of exercising synodality in the Church in Germany, in accordance with the ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council, the provisions of Canon Law and the fruits of the Synod of the universal Church to be submitted to the Holy See for approval (recognitio).

In the exchange, the bishops provided information regarding the last meeting of the Synod Committee - a temporary working body - during which the theological foundations and the possibility of the legal realization of a national synod body were discussed. Today’s meeting focused on the relationship between the exercise of the episcopal ministry and the promotion of the co-responsibility of all the faithful and, in particular, on aspects of canon law for the establishment of a concrete form of synodality in the Church in Germany. There is a shared desire and commitment to strengthen synodality in the life of the Church, with a view to more effective evangelization.

A Commission set up by the Synod Committee will deal with questions of synodality and the structure of a synod body. It will work in close contact with a similar Commission composed of representatives of the competent Dicasteries in order to draw up a draft. Two important aspects emerged for the Representatives of the Roman Curia: they would like to see a change in the name and several aspects of the previously formulated proposal for a possible national synod body. Regarding the position of this body, there was agreement that it is neither above nor at the same level as the Bishops’ Conference.

The future composition of the delegation of the German Bishops’ Conference participating in the dialogue between the representatives of the Roman Curia and those of the Bishops’ Conference itself was also discussed.

The talks will continue after the conclusion of the Synod of the Universal Church, and other anthropological, ecclesiological and liturgical topics will also be discussed.

Present for the Roman Curia were Cardinals Víctor Manuel Fernandéz, Kurt Koch, Pietro Parolin, Robert F. Prevost, O.S.A., and Arthur Roche, and Archbishop Filippo Iannone, O. Carm. For the DB, the speakers were Bishops Georg Bätzing, Stephan Ackermann, Bertram Meier and Franz-Josef Overbeck, respectively president of the DB and chairs of the Episcopal Commissions for the Liturgy, for the Universal Church, and for the Faith, as well as the secretary general, Dr. Beate Gilles, and the spokesperson for the DB, Matthias Kopp.