Germany: Fulda, the bishops meeting in live plenary session since the outbreak of the pandemic. Focus on the Synod

In Fulda today, a press conference will present and kick off the autumn plenary assembly of the German Bishops’ Conference, ending on 23rd September. The 68 members of the German Bishops’ Conference, led by their president, mgr. Georg Bätzing, bishop of Limburg, will be meeting live again in the City Palace of Fulda for the first time since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The key topics will include an extensive review of the issues, resolutions and progress made by the Synodal Path, not least in the run-up to the second Synodal assembly in Frankfurt am Main, due to take place from 30th September to 2nd October 2021; the preparations for the world episcopal synod in Rome, that will start on 9th October this year. Once again, the German bishops will have to exchange views to explain and reconsider the survey on “Child sexual abuse by Catholic priests, deacons and male members of religious orders in the authority of the German Bishops’ Conference”, partly in the light of the new procedural matters regarding compensation, the investigation of earlier bishops’ failures to report, and topical matters. Another purpose of the meeting is the appointment of the members, presidents and deputy presidents, as well as the councillors of the 14 committees of the German Bishops’ Conferences and the subcommittees. Today, the opening day, the apostolic nuncio, archbishop Nikola Eterović, will be there too, while mgr. Stanisław Budzik, archbishop of Lublin, Poland, will be there as a guest on behalf of other Bishops’ Conferences.
Valentina Bombelli