Archbishop Bentz: Pope Leo XIV brings a breath of fresh air to church!

Archbishop Bentz: Pope Leo XIV brings a breath of fresh air to church!

Erfurt, Deutschland - When Pope Leo XIV was taken in Rome, which took place on May 8, Archbishop Udo Bentz was also present. In an interview, he emphasizes the sovereign and emotional nature of the new Pope. Over 200,000 pilgrims from all over the world took part in this ceremonial trade fair, including many from the German -speaking countries. According to Bentz, Leo XIV strives not to be a lonely leader and attaches great importance to unity within the Catholic Church. He emphasizes that it is important to understand different perspectives and step into dialogue. This is also reflected in the statements of Bishop Michael Gerber, who predicts a positive cooperation between the new Pope and the Catholic Church in Germany.

Bentz is in close contact with Rome to design the synodal dynamics in Germany. He sees the role of the church in society as essential and wants to create reliable places for pastoral care. In his Archdiocese of Cologne, he plans a savings program of 100 million euros by 2030 and develops a missionary, diaconal and spiritual expenditure policy.

Synodal ways and reforms

The reform process "Synodal Way" plays a central role in the current discussions. Bentz emphasizes the need to establish new forms of organization and management in the church. Reform groups and Catholic associations in Germany have spoken out for the continuation of these synodal processes in order to realize the synodality required by Pope Francis. A large number of organizations, including KFD and #outinchurch, have teamed up to show the Church that it can be relevant today.

Gerber and Bentz are optimistic about the possibility of continuing the "synodal path" under the pontificate of Leo XIV. Important discussions between the German Bishops' Conference and the Vatican could take place to discuss reform steps. Bishop Overbeck von Essen is considered an essential conversation partner. In particular, the challenges when linking to the global process of the world synod remain an important topic.

social responsibility and political statements

Bentz also addresses the social responsibility of the church. He warns in relation to the impending local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia of the AfD, which he denounces as incompatible with the Christian image of man. These political statements underline Bentz ’commitment to actively bring the church into social debates. He sees it as crucial to conduct an inner -church dialogue on political issues within the church and ensure that the bishops overcome self -caused obstacles that have arisen from the abuse crisis and reform jams.

In a time when the number of priests and voluntary work decrease, the archbishop emphasizes the importance of a stronger sacramental service and the requirement to re -use divorced priests that were dispensed. This could be an important step to give the credibility of the church more weight and to meet the spiritual needs of the communities.