Bishop Felix Gmür and Helena Jeppesen-Spuhler will bring concerns of the Swiss and European churches into the world synod discussion. The women’s issue, decentralization and improved participation are important to them. Diversity is clearly visible in the congregation, they say.
Regula Pfeifer
What speeches will you be making at the World Synod?
Felix Gmür and Helena Jeppesen-Spuhler (simultaneously): Two rounds of discussion at the synod tables are planned, each on the chapters of the preparatory document “Instrumentum Laboris”.
On what topics?
Jeppesen: We specified the content based on the topics of the “Instrumentum Laboris”.
Gmür: There is the first, second, third, fourth part. We have to say something twice about each part. Roughly speaking, two chapters are discussed in the synod every week.
“What is very important so that it also appears in the final document of the synod?”
Helena Jeppesen-Spuhler
Were you able to choose which topic?
Gmür: The chapters of the “Instrumentum Laboris” are predetermined, our opinion is requested.
Jeppesen: The questions are: What is important to us in this part, especially for the church we come from?
Gmür: And what should be changed or deleted?
Jeppesen: Yes, exactly: What do you have to delete and what do you have to add? And what is very important so that it also appears in the final document of the synod?
“The church can have different faces depending on the culture and context.”
Helena Jeppesen-Spuhler
Can you give an example?
Jeppesen: First, for example, come the basics. There is also the question of women, which is important for Switzerland. And the contextual aspect is also important, i.e. that the church can have different faces depending on the culture and context. The Amazon Synod, for example, played with the image “the face of Amazonia”. This is an important point for us. This means that there can also be more scope for the church in the regions. That would be our concern, which we call decentralization. You could also call it inculturation.
Are there other ways to get involved?
Jeppesen: In addition to the two speeches, there is also a plenary part where you can register for a speech. We’ll have to see if we can get there.
What do you have planned thematically?
Gmür: Exactly: women and decentralization are the two main topics.
Jeppesen: And also greater participation in the decision-making processes in the church. At all levels – local to global. The church should be made more participatory.
“Fiducia supplicans on the blessings of homosexuals has shown that the church cannot be the same everywhere.”
Speaking of decentralization, Bishop Gmür: Do you want to be able to continue making progress in Switzerland as before, i.e. more openly than other dioceses? Offer women more opportunities in church service? Is that what you want behind it?
Gmür: Yes, for example. The document “Fiducia supplicans” on the blessings of homosexuals has generally shown that the Church cannot be the same everywhere. For certain matters it makes sense to be able to regulate them differently locally.
“I don’t fear a split.”
Felix Gmür
Don’t you fear great tension or even division if that happens?
Jeppesen: No.
Gmür: No, I’m not afraid of that. You can’t have fears before you start discussing introducing something. Otherwise everything always stays the same.
Jeppesen: At the synod meeting a year ago, a woman said: Why can’t we celebrate our diversity? She comes from Papua New Guinea, I saw her again this morning and asked her about it. People of many ethnicities and languages live in Papua New Guinea. She said: This could be an example for the Catholic Church. See our diversity as wealth and celebrate it. And still stay together, even if we are really different.
Gmür: We are different anyway.
Jeppesen: Yes, you can see that in the meeting. There are enormous differences.
What is your wish for the World Synod?
Gmür: In the end, something tangible should come out. That’s what everyone says. But nobody knows what exactly.
Jeppesen: Everyone says: We need concrete results here, even if they are small steps.
So that there is no big disappointment, I suppose.
Jeppesen: Yes, we cannot go through an intensive process for three years and at the end not present anything to the Pope that has any substance. It has to be specific.
Gmür: That is my opinion too.
© Catholic Media Center, October 4th, 2024
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