The leadership of Germany’s Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) is publicly urging accelerated progress toward the ordination of female deacons, highlighting a perceived systemic failure of justice within the Catholic Church. Irme Stetter-Karp, ZdK president and also head of the Synodal Way in Germany, voiced her concerns in an interview with the “Rheinische Post”, characterizing the current situation as a “significant and pressing inequality.
Stetter-Karp pointed to recent developments emanating from Rome as demonstrating a deliberate slowdown in the process, despite a globally intensifying discussion surrounding women’s roles in religious institutions. She argued that the timeline for advancement is critically past, asserting a fundamental limitation imposed on women that lacks theological justification given contemporary understanding. “Why should vocations be dismissed simply because they originate from women?” she questioned, referencing a demand for the ordination of female deacons originating from the Würzburg synod in the 1970s.
The ZdK’s call for action arrives at a pivotal moment. The sixth and final assembly of the Synodal Way, a body comprised of German bishops and lay representatives aiming to enact institutional reform, is scheduled for late January in Stuttgart. While this assembly is intended to lay the groundwork for lasting change through future Synodal Conferences, the approval of a corresponding statute from Rome remains a necessary hurdle.
While expressing optimism regarding the potential for Roman approval, Stetter-Karp emphasized the significant investment in dialogue and negotiation with Vatican officials over the past three years, including direct discussions with the responsible Dicastery and incorporation of feedback on a draft statute. “Everything possible has been done” she stated, indicating a sense of cautious expectation for the new year. However, the continued delay raises fundamental questions about the Vatican’s commitment to genuine inclusivity and responsiveness to the evolving needs and perspectives within the Church, particularly within Germany’s reform-minded Catholic community. The outcome surrounding the final statute will represent a crucial test of the Vatican’s willingness to engage with calls for greater female participation and leadership within the Catholic hierarchy.
