Since he was appointed Vatican doctrinal chief on July 1, Cardinal-elect Víctor Manuel Fernández has given at least 20 interviews many of which touch on the German Synodal Path.
Newsroom (22/07/2023 06:30, Gaudium Press) In his first interview, published July 5 by the Spanish website InfoVaticana, Fernández explained that he had been too busy serving as archbishop of the Argentine Archdiocese of La Plata since 2018 to follow the synodal way closely.
“Germans always attract attention, and in my style as archbishop there has been no such concern about ordaining women or things like that,” he said. “Obviously it is now up to me to catch up on the matter, to listen, to talk, to consult.”
He added that he did not dismiss the German movement out of hand.
“Once Cardinal Ladaria told me that he hoped there was some heretic who would force us to deepen our faith. This historical question will leave something good for us although it may be necessary to polish things, specify them, mature them,” Fernández said.
In an interview posted two days later with the German Church’s official news website Katholisch.de, Fernández underlined that he needed to familiarize himself with the synodal way’s demands.
“Because, from my point of view, it would be unwise and harmful to make assessments at the moment,” he said. “After all, I lived 12,000 kilometers [around 7,500 miles] away and have not yet spoken to those responsible.”
On July 8, the Spanish news agency EFE quoted Fernández as saying that “the Germans are smart enough not to cross a line” when it comes to Church unity and that “on the other hand, many of them have legitimate intentions and a goodwill.”
In a July 9 conversation with Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper, Fernández was asked if he shared the synodal way’s contention that Catholic teaching on sexuality is “a set of ‘noes’ far removed from reality.”
“There is always the risk of turning morality into mere prohibitions, and this certainly will not make it attractive or convincing,” he replied. “It is always better to show first the beauty of the proposal, the goal, the ideal to be realized, the banquet that God serves us.”
Fernández then told Rome Reports in a July 13 interview that his approach to the synodal way would consist of “listening in order to understand the legitimate intentions behind the proposals and analyzing the various alternative paths that may respond, at least partially, to these concerns.”
In a July 16 interview with Spain’s Alfa y Omega, he said: “I believe that the question of the German synodal way is not completely closed as long as there is not some answer for the people of God in Germany, who are demanding more real space for women and other things to which it would not be bad to pay more attention.”
In an interview published the same day with the Spanish online newspaper La Gaceta de la Iberosfera, Fernández was asked where he would draw his “red lines.”
“I think there are legitimate concerns, and I want to understand them better,” he replied. “The attempt to create a synodal body that could parallel the German bishops’ conference or place itself above the dioceses would not be in keeping with the constitution of the Church.”
“Moreover, we know that Francis does not like excessive structures, and how he has always resisted that everything must become a canonical norm. Perhaps they still need to better understand the spirit of Francis. We all need to understand him better.”
In addition to these direct references to Germany, Fernández has been asked frequently about the doctrinal dicastery’s 2021 ruling on same-sex blessings, which many commentators believe was directed at Germany.
Summarizing his position in a July 17 interview with The Pillar, he said that it “would not be bad to ‘rethink it,’ nothing more.”
“I will have to talk to many people, and listen to the dicastery itself, pay attention to what comes up in the synod [on synodality], etc.,” he said. “But — not necessarily to contradict what that document says, but perhaps to enrich and expand it.”
Considering Fernández’s comments as a whole, it’s possible to sum up his stance on the German Church as follows.
First, he recognizes that he is not yet fully informed about the synodal way. But he is committed to examining it in detail after he begins his service as doctrinal prefect in September.
Second, he thinks that the initiative embodies certain “legitimate” intentions, specifically concerning the expansion of women’s role in the Church but perhaps also in other areas.
Third, he thinks that the synodal way’s agenda contains elements that are at odds with the Church’s self-understanding or would fail to lead to authentic renewal, such as the synodal council.
Fourth, he believes that through a process of “listening,” he will be able to discern what is good within the German movement and then consider “various alternative paths” to address the concerns, at least partially.
Fifth, he is confident that the movement’s leaders are “smart” enough not to allow the Church in Germany to plunge into schism.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from The Pillar
