Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, Archbishop of Cologne, has stated that for him the so-called Synodal Way of the Catholic Church in Germany is “closed,” considering that the process has reached a point that he can no longer support in good conscience.
The statement was made in an interview given to Domradio and later reported by Catholic News Agency Deutsch, in which Woelki explicitly referred to the future of the synodal structures promoted in Germany following the formal conclusion of the Synodal Way.
When asked about the so-called Synodal Conference, a body intended to give continuity to the process through a permanent decision-making structure, the cardinal expressed his skepticism and made it clear that, at least personally, he considers his participation in that journey concluded.
Fundamental objections to the German synodal process
Woelki emphasized that his stance does not stem from a confrontational attitude, but from his responsibility as a bishop to safeguard the faith and maintain communion with the universal Church. “For me, the Synodal Way is closed,” he affirmed, insisting that his conscience does not allow him to continue supporting a process whose approaches raise serious doctrinal and ecclesiological doubts.
The Archbishop of Cologne recalled that any future development of the German synodal project still depends on formal decisions by the German Bishops’ Conference and, above all, on the evaluation and possible approval by the Holy See. In this regard, he stressed that permanent structures cannot be advanced without clear backing from Rome.
Waiting for clarification from Rome
Although Woelki acknowledges that the institutional debate has not officially concluded, he made it clear that, until there is a definitive clarification from the Vatican, he chooses to stay on the sidelines of new initiatives that extend the Synodal Way in other forms.
The cardinal insisted that synodality cannot be understood as a parliamentary model or as a voting process on doctrinal issues, and he reiterated that the unity of the Church and fidelity to apostolic teaching must prevail over any structural or cultural pressure.
A process marked by division
The Synodal Way, initiated in 2019 by the German Bishops’ Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), addressed issues such as the exercise of power in the Church, sexual morality, the priesthood, and the role of women. From its inception, the process has generated strong divisions both within the German episcopate and in the universal Church as a whole.
Woelki has been one of the most critical voices from within the episcopate, repeatedly warning that some proposals approved within the synodal framework conflict with Catholic doctrine and put communion with Rome at risk.
With his latest statements, the Archbishop of Cologne distances himself from any attempt to extend the Synodal Way under new formulas, awaiting a clear response from the Holy See on the future of the process in Germany.