A few hours before Pope Francis embarked on his longest papal journey last week, a delegation from the Central Committee of German Catholics, known as the “ZdK,” arrived in Rome.

German Delegation Seeks Understanding from Vatican

The delegation was led by ZdK President Irme Stetter-Karp, accompanied by Vice Presidents Claudia Nothelle and Thomas Söding, and Secretary General Marc Frings.

The German delegation described their visit as a “journey of dialogue,” explaining in a press release that its purpose was “to be understood in Rome and to understand Rome.”

Tensions Rise Over the German Synodal Way

In recent years, tensions between the Vatican and the German ZdK have escalated, largely due to the “Synodal Way,” launched by the ZdK and the German Bishops’ Conference in 2019. The initiative has drawn criticism from Rome, prompting multiple interventions by Pope Francis. Critics accuse the German “Synodal Way” of exploiting the abuse crisis for political ends.

Prof. Franz-Josef Bormann, Moral theologian at the University of Tübingen explains, “The situation of weakness in which the church leaders have placed themselves is of course being mercilessly exploited by certain groups. This was already the case in the USA, where it was not without reason that people spoke of an ‘abuse of abuse.’”

Prof Bormann continues, “The way in which the abuse crisis was dealt with in Germany made it almost predictable that some would instrumentalize it and commit an ‘abuse of abuse.’ And the weakness that has become increasingly apparent in recent years is of course being deliberately exploited by the ZdK in particular in order to assert its own interests in this way.”

Talks Described as Harmonious, More to Come After Synod

Both sides described the talks between the German delegation and Vatican representatives in Rome as harmonious. The dialogue is set to resume in the autumn, following the Synod of Bishops in Rome.

Adapted by Jacob Stein