Germany's Synodal Way Votes to Bless Same-Sex Unions, in Favor of Female Diaconate and Attention to Transgender People

The Catholic General Assembly in Germany, has been meeting in Frankfurt, Germany. They are engaging in decisions regarding its Synodal Path. After days of meetings and votes on several issues, the assembly voted in favor of blessings for Same-Sex unions, expressed the wish that women should be given access to ordained offices, and approved ways to include transgender people.
Many bishops, including the Vatican, have warned the German bishops and the Synodal Way that some of the issues that they are voting in favor are contrary to Church official teachings. 
Vatican News (German edition) reported that after a controversial, sometimes emotional debate, the General Assembly of the Synodal Path passed a paper with a large majority (93.6 percent) that formulated votes for more participation by women in services and offices of the Catholic Church. 80.7 percent of the bishops also voted in favor. The decision was greeted with long, standing applause.
Vatican News (German edition) clarified that the Vatican has banned women's access to ordained offices. The Pope had ruled out an opening in November 2022. According to Francis in an interview, there are both the Petrine and the Marian principles in the Church; the ordained ministries are related to the Petrine principle, while women are related to the Marian principle, which is "even more important". “The church is woman. The Church is Bride. That is why the dignity of women must be reflected on this line.” The papal nuncio in Germany, Archbishop Nicola Eterovic, confirmed this course at the end of February 2023 before the German bishops. St. In 1994, Pope John Paul II stated “that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that all the faithful of the Church must abide by this decision once and for all”.
According to the text of the synodal path, the German bishops in Rome are to campaign for the admission of women to the diaconate, and further considerations from Germany on opening up all ordained offices in the universal church are to be presented: "The pastoral considerations and theological research from the context of the German local church are brought into the universal church discourse at all levels of international consultations,” the text says. It should be ensured that the arguments are taken up in the universal church synodal process initiated by Pope Francis and discussed in intercontinental perspectives.
(Below is the Synodal Path Full Video (III) from Frankfurt in English)

The German bishops are also asked to advocate for the bishops' conferences to have a say in the appointment of members of papal or curial commissions to advise on questions relating to the diaconate. In addition, theological research in Germany on the women's diaconate is to be intensified. The topic of the sacramental ministry of people of all genders should also be continued in the bodies of the German Bishops' Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics. A compromise in the paper is that it no longer speaks of a diaconal "management office".

The text entitled "Women in sacramental ministries - Perspectives for the universal church discussion" is in line with the basic text on women in the Catholic Church, which was already adopted at the previous fourth general assembly. See: https://www.synodalerweg.de/fileadmin/Synodalerweg/Dokumente_Reden_Beitraege/englisch-SV-V/ENG_SV-V-Synodalforum-III-Handlungstext.FrauenInSakramentalenAemtern_Les2.pdf

Vatican News (German Edition) also reported that more attention for inter- and transsexual people was voted on March 11th. They said that in the Catholic Church, the interests of intersex and transsexual people should receive more attention. On Saturday morning, the plenary assembly of the Synodal Path passed a paper according to which it should be possible, among other things, to omit the corresponding entry in the baptismal register when children with unclear gender identity are baptized or to use the term “diverse” at this point. Transgender Catholics should also be able to have their marital status and first names changed in the baptismal register in an uncomplicated manner.

The paper sees itself as a "starting point for further considerations". Around 95 percent of all members of the synod agreed to the text, 84 percent of the bishops agreed to the text, and 100 percent of the non-male participants in the synodal assembly agreed to the text. Long, standing applause followed, and rainbow flags were waved in the plenum. This was preceded by a debate in which thoughtful tones prevailed. See: https://www.synodalerweg.de/fileadmin/Synodalerweg/Dokumente_Reden_Beitraege/englisch-SV-V/ENG_SV-V-Synodalforum-IV-Handlungstext.UmgangMitGeschlechtlicherVielfalt_Les2.pdf

"If transgender or intersex believers are denied the sacrament of marriage, they should be able to celebrate blessings on their partnership," the text continues. A "devaluation of trans and intersex people, in particular through the assumption of a 'gender ideology'" should be prevented. Furthermore, the church should unequivocally distance itself from conversion therapies. The therapies rejected by most psychiatrists and psychologists purport to change a person's sexual orientation or self-perceived gender identity.

The Pope is asked to ensure "that transgender and intergender people in our church can live their lives and their faith in their being as God's creatures without prejudice, without hostility and without discrimination". The paper adopted in Frankfurt is entitled “Dealing with Gender Diversity”.
On the second day of the consultations on the synodal path, several reform requests were resolved, including lay sermons and blessing celebrations for homosexual couples. The latter are clearly rejected by the Vatican.

Vatican News (German Edition) released that Blessing celebrations were admitted for homosexuals at the German assembly. A second decision was made at the 5th Synodal Assembly on the subject of blessing celebrations. The synodal path advocated blessing celebrations for homosexual couples as well; Divorced people who have remarried civilly should also be able to have their relationship blessed by the Catholic Church. After a controversial debate, the plenary passed a paper with a majority of almost 93 percent on Friday, which recommends developing and introducing appropriate liturgical celebrations in a timely manner. Almost 81 percent of the bishops voted in favour. A handout for blessing celebrations for different couple constellations is to be developed.

Pastors who carry out such a blessing celebration should no longer face disciplinary consequences, according to the Synodal Way. At the same time, the paper advocates further theological development of the Church's view of homosexuality. See: https://www.synodalerweg.de/fileadmin/Synodalerweg/Dokumente_Reden_Beitraege/englisch-SV-V/ENG_SV-V-Synodalforum-IV-Handlungstext.SegensfeiernFuerPaareDieSichLieben_Les2.pdf

For all couples interested in blessing celebrations, there should be talks with pastors and, if necessary, seminars in preparation, according to the paper entitled “Blessing celebrations for couples who love each other”. It is emphasized that a refusal to bless the relationship of two people "who want to live their partnership in love, commitment and responsibility to one another and to God" is merciless to the point of discriminatory. In particular because this cannot be justified “in a theologically convincing manner”. The adopted paper is a somewhat weakened form of the original text, in that a working group including the German Bishops' Conference and the lay umbrella organization ZdK is to develop a liturgical handout.

Vatican blessing for couples: Only in church marriage
Vatican News (German Edition) reported - In a letter published in 2021(See: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/03/15/210315b.html), the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith affirmed that the Church had no authority to bless same-sex relationships. Priests are therefore not allowed to give the blessing to same-sex couples who ask for some kind of religious recognition of their union, the Vatican clarified.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith further underlined that its statement applies not only to homosexual couples but to all unions involving the practice of sexuality outside of marriage. Individuals with homosexual tendencies, on the other hand, can receive the blessing. The Pope had given his assent to the directive, which was signed by the prefect and the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, and Archbishop Giacomo Morandi.

US Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who heads the Vatican Dicastery for Laity and Family, explained the blessing ban in March 2021: “I think it is very important that we all understand that the pastoral life of the Church is open to all people ! It is essential and very important that we always open our arms to receive and accompany all people in the different phases of their lives and their situations. Sometimes we also fail to make a distinction that needs to be made: when the Church speaks of marriage, she is speaking of sacramental marriage. Not from civil partnerships, not from other forms of marriage, but from sacramental marriage. And 'Amoris laetitia' is about sacramental marriage.”
(Below is the Synodal Path Full Video (II) from Frankfurt in English)
The Vatican recently categorically ruled out the establishment of so-called synodal councils, i.e. joint governing bodies of lay people and clergy. Several bishops, including the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, had declared that they still wanted to stick to it.

Better protect adult women from abuse
How can adult women in the Catholic Church be better protected from abuse? This question was the focus of a paper that was discussed in the first reading on Friday evening in Frankfurt. The paper was approved by 100 percent of the members of the synod, but has not yet been decided. It criticizes the fact that abuse of adults has so far only played a subordinate role in counseling offers and in protection concepts. This has to change. For example, uniform procedural rules are necessary in the case of sexual abuse of adults in pastoral care relationships or in other dependent relationships, as well as "clear and comprehensible file management". Rules are also needed for financial support for those affected, including for therapeutic measures or legal advice. In addition, contact points for adult women would have to be expanded. See: https://www.synodalerweg.de/fileadmin/Synodalerweg/Dokumente_Reden_Beitraege/englisch-SV-V/ENG_SV-V-Synodalforum-II-Handlungstext.PraeventionSexualisierterGewalt_Les2.pdf

For stricter handling of abusers
On Friday afternoon, the Synodal Path also decided on stricter procedures in dealing with priests who are guilty of sexual abuse. At the General Assembly, bishops and lay representatives voted 100 percent for a corresponding paper. It advocates establishing binding rules for prevention, education and dealing with perpetrators at responsible bodies such as the German Bishops' Conference.

The synodal assembly calls on the bishops' conference to draw up a disciplinary code for priests. This should give bishops the opportunity to take disciplinary measures against priests who, although no criminally relevant behavior could be proven, show borderline behavior. If the perpetration of a cleric is proven, a condition for therapy must be issued by decree. In addition, a "monitor" is to be used for each perpetrator who checks the therapy conditions and follows the further career and life of the perpetrator. This should also be observed in a special way in the case of changes across diocese borders.

The synodal assembly instructs the bishops' conference and the lay umbrella organization ZdK to work towards and check that prevention regulations and protection concepts are implemented in Catholic institutions and associations in a binding manner. In addition, prevention work should become an integral part of priestly training and the training of all pastoral professions. In addition to a code of conduct, the paper calls for a binding “feedback culture”, for example through regular supervision in teams. Special men, violence and conflict counseling centers should also be presented regularly.
In an address to the German bishops at their February 27th meeting, papal nuncio Archbishop Nikola Eterović affirmed that this prohibition also applied to diocesan bishops. https://www-dbk-de.translate.goog/presse/aktuelles/meldung/grusswort-von-erzbischof-dr-nikola-eterovic-apostolischer-nuntius?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp 
At the end of the Synodal Path, the deliberations on reforms in the Catholic Church are to be continued in a "Synodal Committee". The General Assembly of the Synodal Path decided on this on Saturday, which in Frankfurt determined 20 members for such a body. The Synodal Committee is to continue and implement the work of the reform project in the coming years. The committee has a total of 74 members. 27 of them are the German local bishops, and 27 are also from the Catholic lay umbrella organization ZdK.

https://www.synodalerweg.de/fileadmin/Synodalerweg/Dokumente_Reden_Beitraege/englisch-SV-V/ENG_SV-V-Synodalforum-IV-Handlungstext.SegensfeiernFuerPaareDieSichLieben_Les2.pdf
https://www.vaticannews.va/de/kirche/news/2023-03/synodaler-weg-beschluesse-segen-laien-predigen-frankfurt.html
Full English Synodal Way Documents: https://www.synodalerweg.de/english/documents#c7935

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