German Catholic groups demand reform ahead of Bishops' Conference

Catholic women's associations, including KDFB and kfd, alongside the group ‘Wir sind Kirche’, have issued a joint demand to the German Bishops' Conference ahead of its autumn plenary session. The groups are calling for the bishops to challenge the Vatican's decision to prohibit laypeople from preaching during Mass.

In a statement, the organizations described Rome's decision to reserve the homily for the ordained ministry as ‘unrealistic’ and a dismissal of long-standing established practices. They argued that this restriction structurally excludes women from participation and proclamation within the church.

The groups urged German bishops not to simply accept the Vatican's stance but to utilize existing canon law margins and advocate for legal reforms. They emphasized that the patience of the church community is exhausted and called for the concrete implementation of decisions made during the Synodal Path within individual dioceses to ensure true synodality.