Firstly a bit about the Church....Francis has expressed deep reservations about the direction of the Catholic Church in Germany, warning that concrete steps currently being taken “threaten” to undermine unity with the universal Church.
The pope made his criticisms in a letter to four German Catholic laywomen that was published in the German newspaper Welt on Nov. 21.
“There are indeed numerous steps being taken by significant segments of this local Church that threaten to steer it increasingly away from the universal Church's common path,” wrote the pope.
The letter, dated Nov. 10, was written in German and included the pope’s handwritten signature.
Chief among the pope’s concerns is a push to set up a permanent “Synodal Council,” a mixed body of laity and bishops that would govern the Catholic Church in Germany. Establishing this council is a top priority for the German Synodal Way, a controversial initiative that has demanded significant changes in Church structure and teaching.
In his letter, the pope underscored that this kind of “consultative and decision-making body” as currently proposed “is not in alignment with the sacramental structure of the Catholic Church.” He referenced a Jan. 16 letter from high ranking Vatican officials to German bishops, which he specifically authorized, that explicitly prohibited the establishment of the Synodal Council.
https://bit.ly/3QHvJFC
We discussed in earlier posts on what makes the Church: its supernatural link to Christ, the People of God with Mary as the archetype, and the Structure which covers the Magesterium, hierarchy: Pope, Bishops, clergy...Sacraments etc (because of its link to the Divine, we cannot know all about the church because of its ineffable mystery but this is a means to tap into it)
The church is both a gift from God and a human response. By nature of one's baptism, the purification of Original Sin, people become adoptive children of God within the supernatural family of God.
From its Apostolic age, the Church is a sign and instrument of Unity.
All Christians must remain in unity.
The Catholic Church is one - one church, (though divided Christians).
The Church is not divided in itself but in us.
The Church never loses her unity, which remains concrete- but it is the Christians who have lost it.
Therefore the term "division of Christians" is the more appropriate way to discuss this instead of "division of Church."
Christ the head of the church (his body) is a complete union. It cannot be divided.
Pope Benedict XVI explains this wonderfully:
The Church which is born at Pentecost is not primarily a particular Community - the Church of Jerusalem- but the Universal Church...From her other communities were to be born in every part of the world, particular Churches which are all and always actualizations of the one and only Church of Christ.
The Catholic Church is therefore not a federation of Churches but a single reality: the universal Church has ontological priority.
A community which was not catholic in this sense would not even be a Church." (Homily on Solemnity of Pentecost May 11, 2008)
The Magisterium are the Teachers and Guardians of the Faith.
Christ established his church through his apostles and their successors so the Deposit of Faith could be safeguarded and handed down throughout the ages.
3 tasks of the hierarchy
-sanctifying office
-governance
-teaching office
The Magisterium designates the Church's function of authoritative teaching and the body of those commissioned to carry out this function. It designates its hierarchical teachers - the Pope and Bishops.
The Pope is the principle point of Unity and is the successor of Peter.
the Bishops are the successors of the Apostles.
The teaching can only be exercised by bishops in hierarchical communion with the head and members of the episcopal college (Lumen Gentium 22).
Hierarchical communion is ruptured by schism or heresy.
Canon Law: every bishop in good standing is a member of the episcopal college and entitled to participate in ecumenical councils.
The Pope, and he alone, convokes and presides over such councils.
(can you see the conflict arising when the German bishops want to introduce their own local Synod?
Ah they have now touched a nerve, the authority of the Pope is put in question and Francis jumps to condemn. Yet interestingly he doesn't remove them for all their alarming actions contrary to faith?
Bishop Strickland yet is removed......i leave it to the reader to work that one out.