In the audience last Saturday, Leo XIV received the bishop of Regensburg, Rudolf Voderholzer, and explicitly encouraged him to “support especially the faithful who remain faithful to the received doctrine and sustain ecclesial life with prayer and works of charity.” This was reported by the German diocese after the meeting.
The Pontiff also asked the prelate to continue “advancing in his pastoral efforts of evangelization,” in a context where the Church in Germany continues to be marked by strong internal tensions, especially regarding the “Synodal Way”.
Background: division around the Synodal Way
In recent years, the Church in Germany has polarized around reform proposals that affect core points of doctrine and ecclesial discipline, such as the ordination of women or sexual morality. In that climate, Voderholzer has positioned himself among the bishops critical of the most rupturist approaches.
In fact, along with Voderholzer, three other diocesan bishops ended up abandoning the process after repeated Vatican admonitions: Bishop Stefan Oster (Passau), Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki (Cologne), and Gregor Maria Hanke OSB (Eichstätt), now emeritus bishop.
Ratzinger, theology and the “anthropological question”
The diocese of Regensburg also explained that Voderholzer conveyed the greetings of the local Church to the Pope, presented the work of the Pope Benedict XVI Institute, and handed over its recent publications. The bishop thanked the Holy Father for the high regard he shows for the theological work of Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI.
In the conversation, both also addressed current challenges in theology, especially the question of Christian anthropology. According to the diocesan statement, it was highlighted that, just as in the 4th century Christology was the decisive field, today “anthropology is the place where the fate of the faith and of the Church is decided.”