Catholic News Agency Translation. Not an official translation.

226th Assembly of the Permanent Council of the German Episcopal Conference on August 19,
2019 in Würzburg-Himmelspforten

Statutes of the Synodal Way

Draft dated 08/01/2019

Preamble
[in preparation]

Article 1 Mission
[To be adapted after the elaboration of the preamble]

(1) The Synodal Way of the Catholic Church in Germany serves to identify collectively the steps
towards strengthening Christian witness. It aims to address and clarify key problem areas such
as: "authority and separation of powers", "sexual morality," " the priestly mode of life,” "​women
at the service of – and in – ecclesiastical offices​" [provisional titles]. This process is scheduled to
take two years.

(2) To carry out this mission, the German Episcopal Conference will render an account regularly
on measures proposed to confront and clarify sexual abuse in the Church, on measures to halt
and prevent such crimes from happening again in the future, and on the necessary steps to
introduce an administrative and penal juridical framework, in step with the times, in the area of
​competence of the German Episcopal Conference.

Article 2
The organs of the Synodal Way are:
(1) the Synodal Assembly
(2) the Synodal Presidency
(3) the Extended Synodal Presidency
(4) Synodal Forums

Article 3 The Synodal Assembly

(1) The following are part of the Synodal Assembly of the "Synodal Way":

a. The members of the German Episcopal Conference

b. 70 members of the Central Committee of German Catholics (appointed by taking into account
the particular structure of the Central Committee of German Catholics)
c. 10 representatives of religious orders (appointed by the Conference of Superiors
Major of Germany)

d. 2 vicars general (appointed by the Conference of Vicars General)

e. 5 representatives of the German professional Association of Pastoral Specialists

[[Pastoralreferenten]]​,

f. 5 representatives of the Conference of Pastoral Workers ​[[Gemeindereferenten]],

g. 10 representatives of diocesan presbyteral councils (appointed by the conference of

representatives of the presbyteral councils)

h. 5 representatives of the working group of permanent deacons in Germany,

i. up to 15 Catholic men and women appointed by the Episcopal Conference German and up to
15 appointed by the Central Committee of German Catholics (in consideration of further
professional categories).

The appointments will aim to take into account a fair distribution between the sexes and the
generations.

(2) The Synodal Assembly is the superior body and has deliberative power. Members of the
Synodal Assembly have an equal right to vote in decision-making matters.

(3) The members of the synodal assembly are appointed for the entire duration of the
proceedings. In the case of a member retiring from the Synodal Assembly before the conclusion
of the Synodal Way, the above referenced group to which that member belonged will be
responsible for making a new appointment. Members of the Synodal Assembly can not be
represented by substitutes. They act completely independently.

Article 4 Observers and guests of the Synodal Assembly

(1) The following are invited to appoint observers to the Synodal Assembly:
a. the Working Group of Christian Churches in Germany (ACK).
b. the Evangelical ​[[i.e. Lutheran]]​ Church of Germany (EKD)
c. the Orthodox Episcopal Conference of Germany,
d. the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE),
e. the episcopal conferences of neighboring countries,
f. the lay umbrella organizations of neighboring countries.
(2) The Synodal Presidency has the right to invite guests to attend the sessions
of the Synodal Assembly.

(3) Observers and guests participate in the Synodal Assembly. They can be granted the right to
address the Assembly.

(4) The sessions of the Synodal Assembly are open to the press. The Synodal Presidency
reserves the right to make exceptions.

Article 5 Synodal Presidency

(1) The following are part of the synodal presidency:

a. the president and vice-president of the German Episcopal Conference,
b. the president and one vice-president of the Central Committee of German Catholics.

(2) The president of the German Episcopal Conference and the president of the Committee
Central of German Catholics hold the office of Presidents of the Synodal Way. They preside
over the Synodal Assembly.

(3) The Synodal Presidency is in charge of preparing the Synodal Assembly and elaborating its
results.

Article 6 Extended Synodal Presidency

(1) The members of the Extended Synodal Presidency are the above, as well as the two
presidents of each Synodal Forum.

(2) The task of the Extended Synodal Presidency is to support the work of the Synodal
Presidency. In particular, it is charged with coordinating the specific work related to the topics of
discussion.

(3) The Extended Synodal Presidency sets the agenda of the Synodal Assembly.

Article 7 Synodal Forums

1) The following forums have been set up for the content-related work of the Synodal Way:
[​Working titles, final titles to be debated by the Forums​]
- authority and separation of powers,
- sexual morality
- the priestly mode of life
- women at the service of – and in – ecclesiastical offices

The Synodal Forums prepare the drafts for the Synodal Assembly.
(2) The members of the Synodal fForums of the Synodal Way are appointed by the Synodal
Presidency and remain in office for the entire duration of the Synodal Way. Those taking part
are:
a. the members of the Synodal Assembly
b. the consultants

(3) The Synodal Assembly has the faculty to appoint, by simple majority of the attending
members, additional members of the Synod Forums for the duration of the Synodal Way. The
maximum number should be limited to 30 members.

(4) Each Forum elects two presidents from among its members, of which one is a member of
German Episcopal Conference and the other is a member of the Central Committee of German
Catholics. An employee of the secretariat will be in charge of administrative management.

(5) Each member of the Synodal Forums has the same voting rights on decision-making
matters. Members of Synodal Forums who are not also members of the Synodal Assembly
participate in the latter's meetings in an advisory capacity.

(6) Members of Synodal Forums can not be represented by a substitute. They act completely
independently.

(7) The Synod Forums have the right to invite observers and guests of the Synodal Assembly to
participate in individual sessions. These can be granted the right to address the Forums.

Article 8 Secretariat

(1) The following are part of the Secretariat of the Synodal Way:
a. the secretary of the German Episcopal Conference,

b. the secretary general of the Central Committee of German Catholics,

c. other employees supplied by the German Episcopal Conference and/or the Central
Committee of German Catholics.

(2) The secretary of the German Episcopal Conference and the general secretary of the Central
Committee of German Catholics participate as secretaries of the Synodal Way. They direct the
secretariat of the Synodal Way. They also participate in the sessions of the synodal bodies in an
advisory function. The secretariat is bound by the provisions of the presidents of the synod.

(3) The secretariat is available to the Synodal Presidency and the Extended Synodal Presidency
for carrying out the tasks for which they are responsible. In particular, the secretariat is
responsible for coordinating the preparation phases of the Synodal Assembly, the drafting of
protocols, as well as the revision of the post-session papers. The synodal press and information
office is part of the secretariat.

Article 9 Consultation

(1) Drafts for discussion in the Synodal Assembly can be presented by the Synodal Presidency
and the Synodal Forum that deals with the related topic. Each member of the Synodal Assembly
has the right to present written requests for modifications to the drafts.

(2) For each draft at least two readings will take place. The first and second readings can not
take place during the same session, even if this [[session]] takes several days.

(3) Drafts should be sent to all members of the Synodal Assembly of the Synodal Way no later
than one month before the first reading. They will simultaneously be published. During the first
reading a vote will be taken as to whether to approve the draft or not as the basis for
consultations. Requests for changes, if approved, should be sent to the responsible Forum. The
Forum will then rework the draft in consideration of the requests for modification as submitted.

(4) Drafts so revised should be sent to all members of the Synodal Assembly at the latest two
months before the second reading. ​They will simultaneously be published. Requests for
changes to the new draft must be submitted at the latest one month before the second reading
at the Secretariat of the Synodal Way. During the second reading, the members of the plenary
assembly, by vote of a simple majority of those present, can decide on whether to admit further
requests for changes for deliberation. During the second reading, the voting on the changes
requested takes place, and, if no further reading is required, the final vote will be taken on the
draft in question.

Article 10 Adoption of Resolutions

(1) The presence of at least two thirds of the members of the Synodal Assembly of the Synodal
Way constitutes the quorum.

(2) For the approval of a draft in the final vote, a voting majority of two thirds of the members
present is necessary, on condition that this also constitutes a two-thirds majority of the German
Episcopal Conference.

(3) At the request of a quarter of the members present, dissenting opinions may be published
with regard to the resolutions approved by the final vote.

(4) In general, voting takes place publicly. Exceptions are staffing decisions as well as general
votes where at least five members request a secret ballot.
(5) The resolutions do not affect the authority of the Episcopal Conference and of individual
diocesan bishops to issue normative acts and exercise their proper magisterium in the context
of their own [[respective]] areas of competence.

Article 11 Publication of Resolutions

(1) The resolutions of the Synodal Assembly will be announced by the Synodal Presidents.

(2) Resolutions that concern issues that fall under the authority of the Universal Church will
additionally be transmitted to the Apostolic See.

Article 12 Implementation and Evaluation

Three years after the final session, the Synodal Assembly will meet again under the direction of
the Synodal Presidency to evaluate the application of the results of the Synodal Way.

Article 13 Rules of Procedure

The rules of procedure govern the details of the process. They are established by the Synodal
Assembly. Any changes to the rules of procedure may be approved by a two-thirds majority of
the members present after being submitted in writing by at least one third of the members of the
Synodal Assembly.

Article 14 Final Provisions

These statutes enter into force after being approved by the German Episcopal Conference and
by the Central Committee of German Catholics. Proposed modifications are possible only with
the agreement of both bodies.