The working group should discuss the concrete implementation in the summer
The action text on the participation of believers in the appointment of bishops was the most concrete resolution of the synodal assembly. The cathedral chapter in the Archdiocese of Paderborn has expressly welcomed the paper – and now wants to start implementing it.
Paderborn – 11.02.2022
The Archdiocese of Paderborn wants to involve the faithful in the selection of a new archbishop in the future. The metropolitan chapter follows “a recommendation of the last synodal assembly” of last weekend’s synodal path, announced the Archdiocese on Friday. The majority of the Chapter expressly welcomed the Assembly’s recommendations for a process for appointing bishops.
The Paderborn cathedral provost Joachim Göbel described the proposals as “a good way to make the participation of the diocesan people of God possible”. This could increase the recognition and acceptance of a future bishop. Göbel announced that a working group should draw up a proposal for a specific regulation in the summer. The believers in the archdiocese should also be involved in this. “Above all, it will have to be clarified how the selection process for the members of the new body can be designed as long as there is no synodal council in the diocese,” said Göbel.
Self-commitment of the cathedral chapter
At the third plenary session in Frankfurt am Main, the synodal assembly had the action text “Inclusion of the faithful in the appointment of the diocesan bishop” adopted in the second reading with a large majority. Two-thirds of the bishops present also approved the paper. According to this, the cathedral chapters should commit themselves to including believers in the election of a new bishop. which has as many members as the cathedral chapter and which “supports the latter in exercising its rights in the process of appointing a bishop”.
The election of bishops in the Archdiocese of Paderborn is currently regulated in the Prussian Concordat of 1929. Accordingly, among other things, the cathedral chapter, which is called metropolitan chapter in Paderborn, must draw up a list of candidates. It will be forwarded to the Vatican via the Apostolic Nuncio, the Pope’s ambassador to Germany. The pope then sends back to Paderborn a list of three names that may differ from the proposed names. From this list, the metropolitan chapter elects a new bishop. According to the new text, the electoral body is to be involved in the compilation of the list of candidates and be heard before the election of the cathedral chapter from the pope’s list of three. In addition, the committee should be entitled to give the cathedral chapter an election recommendation by majority. (cbr/epd/KNA)
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