Marx says sharing power will shape the Catholic Church’s future

Cardinal Reinhard Marx has called for bishops to share power and take responsibility jointly with lay Catholics, saying this will shape the future of the Catholic Church, BR reported. The archbishop of Munich and Freising made the remarks at a conference in Munich on the future role of bishops.

The conference, titled “The Synodal Bishop”, brought together philosophers, theologians and church representatives at the Catholic Academy. It took place ahead of Marx’s 30th anniversary as a bishop on September 21.

Marx said the bishop would remain the Catholic Church’s central figure for organisation and leadership. But he argued that future bishops should be prepared to account for their decisions and review their goals with elected representatives of the faithful after two or three years.

“Sharing power and taking responsibility together, that will be the future,” Marx told BR. He said both bishops and lay Catholics shared responsibility for passing on the faith and proclaiming the Gospel.

The Catholic theologian Thomas Söding called for greater participation by believers in the selection of bishops. It should not be enough for lay people merely to be heard, he said. There needed to be “genuine qualified participation”.

Annette Schavan, a former German education minister and former German ambassador to the Holy See, also said believers should have a say in choosing their bishop. The bishop should seek to reach people’s hearts, she said, rather than focusing only on internal church matters.

Catholic sociologist Hans Joas called for an understanding of the role that put people’s needs before the church institution. He said bishops had previously used their office to protect the institution, particularly in connection with abuse cases, but that believers were no longer willing to accept this.

Johanna Gressing, a diocesan youth chaplain in Munich, said future bishops should listen more closely to young people’s concerns. This could give them a chance to engage in dialogue with young people and hear what they really think, she said.

Marx’s continued tenure was not always certain. In 2021, against the backdrop of abuse scandals, he offered Pope Francis his resignation. The pope rejected the offer and Marx continued in office.