Zollitsch wants more draughty reforms in the catholic church

Zollitsch wants more draughty reforms in the catholic church

For some, the proposed changes go too far and too fast, and they fear for the identity of the catholic, he said tuesday morning in fulda at the opening service of the autumn plenary assembly.

"But many also expect movement in the church, and they suffer from the fact that some issues have been on the church agenda for so long." It was not surprising that some people became restless or impatient.

Zollitsch emphasized in the cathedral: "the catholic church in germany is vital and faces up to its ecclesiastical and social challenges."He appealed to the german bishops to enter into dialogue with the people of the church with humility. "A dialogue is doomed to failure if one encounters the other in a know-it-all, argumentative manner and without goodwill," he warned.

Humility, zollitsch said, also makes it possible to appreciate those and their attitudes who disagree with him. Mutual appreciation could help to lose fear of each other and to approach each other – even if there are different views of how church should be today. Zollitsch said, "we have begun to learn and to incorporate what a spiritual dialogue is."

The weekend before last, catholic bishops met in hanover to talk to the church people about changes, for example about giving more women influence in the catholic church.

Zollitsch assured in his sermon that it was clear "that the church is not there for its own sake". It is "for the people there to serve them."That is why the church has embarked on a process of renewal by pilgrimage, prayer and service.