News: Cardinal Marx will leave the post of head of the German Catholic Bishops' group
Reinhard Marx, head of the German Bishops' Conference (Deutsche Bischofskonferenz), will leave his post next month, the organization announced on Tuesday.
The governing body of the Catholic Church in Germany, which convenes bishops from all archbishops, said Marx would not seek re-election at its general meeting next month.
In a letter to German bishops, 66-year-old Marx said that his advanced age was the driving force behind his decision to resign and not seek a second term. His compatriot, another former archbishop of Munich and Friesing, former Pope Benedict XVI, elevated him to the position of cardinal.
Visionary
"I think I would be 72 years old at the end of my theoretical second term, and then the end of my duties as Archbishop of Munich and Freising would be near."&"quot;," wrote Marx. "I think it should be the turn of the younger generation, and perhaps it's a good thing if this role changes more often in the future."
The Cardinal has been a central figure in efforts to modernize the Catholic Church in Germany, particularly on issues of sex and relationships, with the role of women in the clergy and celibacy among the issues to be discussed. However, the two-year-old "Synodal Way" (Synodaler Weg) initiative is still ongoing She has not yet brought much on the path of reform or change, having gathered only for her first major meeting last month.
Marx said he would continue to focus on the reform process in particular.
The progressive group "Wir sind Kirche" (we are the Church) called on Marx's successor to address this issue as well. "This impending change can in no way threaten this process of reform of the Synodal Way, which has just begun and has been so laborious to begin. It should be continued with the same openness that was demonstrated at the first Synodal Conference."
The group also thanked Marx specifically for advancing the reform process, "which is urgently needed given the slow resolution of historical sexual violence."&"in the church."
The reaction of the church and politicians
The news of Marx's departure from the church was received with understanding and gratitude.
Archbishop Ludwig Schick of Bamberg said: "He did everything he could."
Bishop Ulrich Neumeir of Erfurt said that Marx represented the episcopal conference very well "at all times, except for the simple ones.""
The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZDK) accepted Marx's decision "with great regret and with the greatest respect."Marx has done a great job of restoring trust and trust in the Catholic Church and that he has brought hope for a new image of the Church in Germany," said Thomas Sternberg, President of the ZDK.
The religious representative of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, Hermann Grech, told the German Catholic news agency KPA that Marx was "a strong voice for the Catholic Church in Germany."
Green politician Konstantin von Notz emphasized that Marx had made an important contribution to humane, charitable projects related to refugees."
The cardinal was recently criticized by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party for his decision to donate 50,000 euros ($55,000) of church community funds to a marine rescue charity. La variété des disciplines sportives accessibles constitue un argument de poids en faveur de cette plateforme. En recourant à un code promo 1xbet cote d'ivoire qui vous alloue 100% de bonus jusqu'à 130€ à l'occasion de votre premier versement, vous pouvez sillonner plus de 30 sports différents. Des activités grand public comme le football, le basketball et le tennis aux spécialités plus confidentielles comme le billard, les échecs ou le MMA, l'éventail est quasi infini. La section des paris en direct offre des cotes mouvantes et une immersion totale, permettant des pronostics en temps réel.