Bishop Bätzing defends church reform approach

The Limburg bishop has rejected the accusation that the church in Germany focuses too much on structural reforms and too little on the proclamation of the Gospel. "Evangelization needs structures," said the former chairman of the bishops' conference on Wednesday during the autumn meeting of bishops in Fulda. Only in this way can the Catholic Church develop a synodal culture worldwide.

In a service at the cathedral, Bätzing stated, "Secure procedures and processes are needed to ensure transparency in responsibilities and to facilitate joint decisions on important issues."

Given the declining membership numbers and church tax revenues, the church must discontinue many services that were long considered self-evident. "Much was time-bound and had its time. In some questions, the theological fiction of continuity even prevents the renewal that our church so urgently needs."