Central Committee of German Catholics

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Central Committee of German Catholics
(ZdK)
logo
legal form Registered association
founding 1848 and April 30, 1952
Seat Bonn ( ⊙ coordinates: 50 ° 41 ′ 28.5 ″  N , 7 ° 7 ′ 45.6 ″  E )
precursor Catholic Association Germany
purpose Coordinating body of German Catholic lay people at the federal level
Chair Thomas Sternberg
Managing directors Marc Frings
sales 2,670,000 euros (2018)
Employees 26 (2018)
Members 230 (2019)
Website www.zdk.de
Entrance to the property of the ZdK, Bonn, Hochkreuzallee 246

The Central Committee of German Catholics ( ZdK ) is the union of representatives of the diocesan councils and the Catholic associations as well as of institutions of lay representation and other personalities from church and society in Germany. The legal form is a registered association , the seat of the ZdK is in Bonn . At the general assembly on May 10, 2019, it was decided to move to Berlin, planned for 2022.

The ZdK is the union of representatives of the diocesan councils and the Catholic associations as well as of institutions of the lay apostolate and other personalities from church and society. In accordance with the decree of the Second Vatican Council on the Apostolate of the Laity (No. 26), the ZdK is the body recognized by the German Bishops' Conference that coordinates the forces of the lay apostolate and is intended to promote the apostolic activity of the Church. The members of the Central Committee make their own decisions and are independent of the decisions of other bodies.

The German Bishops' Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics are jointly responsible for the Synodal Way , which is planned for two years and opened on December 1, 2019. Most of the lay people who take part in the Synodal Path are members of the ZdK.

The ZdK is, among other things, the initiator and sponsor of the German Catholic Days . In addition, the Ecumenical Church Days, which take place at irregular intervals, are jointly organized by the ZdK and the German Evangelical Church Conference.

history

Participation card for the general assembly of the Catholic associations in Germany in 1868 in Bamberg, when a Central Committee, which consisted of five to seven clergy and lay people, was appointed

Since 1837 a Catholic movement against the arbitrariness of the authorities and state regulation of the church had begun to gather, in 1848 it went public with the "Pius Association for Religious Freedom". Soon there were hundreds of similar foundations in many places. From October 3 to 6, 1848, they met for a general assembly on the first Catholic day.

Soon the idea arose to set up an "Executive Central Committee" for this annual event. It should be a "perpetual center for the club system". This body was elected for the first time in 1868. The tasks of the Central Committee in 1868 were named as follows: the preparation of the general assemblies, the care for the implementation of their resolutions and the awakening and promotion of Catholic association life "both through frequent rallies in the press and through personal intercourse". It was only possible to meet these diverse requirements by expanding the group of members. In 1871 the Central Committee had 270 members from many dioceses.

The engagement addressed pressing issues of the church and society such as diaspora and mission, freedom of the papacy and the ties of the Catholic Church in Germany to Rome, Caritas, science, economy, journalism, education and social justice. From 1898 onwards, the Catholic Days took on more and more new tasks in church and society. The awareness of the laypeople's shared responsibility for the Church, which has been trained over the past 50 years, was also increasingly shaped.

Repeatedly the independence, autonomy and creative will of the Central Committee were in the way of those in power in the state. In the Kulturkampf under Bismarck and in the time of National Socialism, it was banned from the public. Men and women from his ranks kept his ideas and tasks alive through all times of tribulation and persecution.

After the Second World War, another Catholic Day took place in Mainz in 1948, 100 years after the first Catholic Day. This 72nd German Catholic Day was under the motto "The Christian in the Need of Time". In 1952 the Central Committee also resumed its work with a new statute and under the name Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK). The express focus of his work was now on the task of coordinating the diverse forces of Catholic lay work and the social work of the laity internally and representing it externally.

Since then, the ZdK has revised its statute several times, thus responding to social and church developments. Thus, in a statute reform in 1967, the results of the Second Vatican Council were taken into account and again in 1974 the results of the deliberations of the Joint Synod of the Dioceses in the Federal Republic of Germany, the so-called Würzburg Synod .

In close cooperation with the Joint Action Committee of Catholic Christians in the GDR, the ZdK's plenary assembly in November 1990 succeeded in integrating the representatives of lay work from independent initiatives, dioceses and jurisdictions from the area of ​​the former GDR into the ZdK. At the plenary meeting in spring 2013, a change in the statutes paved the way for members from native-speaking congregations. Since June 2013, the ZdK has had three members from native-speaking parishes: Chukwuemeka Ani for African, José Alberto Haro Ibanez for Spanish and Piotr Maloszewski for Polish-speaking Catholics.

tasks

According to its statute, the ZdK has the following tasks:

  • It observes developments in social, state and church life and represents the concerns of many, but not all, Catholics in public.
  • It gives stimuli for the apostolic work of the Church and Catholics in society and coordinates the work of the forces that are united in it.
  • It participates in church decisions on a supra-diocesan level and advises the German Bishops' Conference on questions of social, state and church life.
  • It has to prepare and carry out joint initiatives and events of German Catholics, such as the German Catholic Days.
  • It takes care of the concerns and tasks of German Catholics abroad and on an international level.
  • It is responsible for the implementation and fulfillment of the corresponding measures.
Invitation to the 3rd Ecumenical Church Congress in Frankfurt: The President of the Diocesan Assembly of the Diocese of Limburg, Ingeborg Schilai (right), the President of the German Evangelical Church Congress, Christina Aus der Au and ZdK President Thomas Sternberg , on November 18, 2016

Catholic Day / Ecumenical Church Day

Together with the respective host diocese, the Central Committee of German Catholics is the organizer of the Catholic Day. The five-day event takes place every two years in different cities. In 2003 the first ecumenical church convention took place in Berlin .

The 99th Catholic Day took place in 2014 in Regensburg under the motto “Building bridges with Christ”. The autumn plenary assembly of the ZdK in November 2011 accepted the invitation from Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller to his episcopal city. The plenary assembly assessed the invitation of the bishop, who is considered to be conservative, as an “expression of the appreciation of the grown tradition and the self-image of the German Catholic Days” and also recognized it in the context of the dialogue process between bishops and lay people. Müller himself no longer welcomed the Catholic Day in his diocese, as he was appointed prefect of the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on July 2, 2012 . The host bishop in the diocese of Regensburg was Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer . The 100th Catholic Day took place from May 25th to 29th, 2016 in the Diocese of Dresden-Meißen under the motto “See, there is man” in Leipzig . By choosing the location for the Jubilee Catholic Day, the aim was to set an example in the diaspora. Around 40,000 guests took part. From 9th to 13th May 2018, the Catholic Day in Münster took place under the motto “Search for Peace” ( Ps 34.15  EU ). The next Ecumenical Church Congress will take place in Frankfurt am Main in 2021 .

Official declarations of the ZdK

During the plenary meetings that last several days and take place twice a year, the ZdK adopts various declarations.

General assembly autumn 2019 (Bonn) :

Logo Synodal Way
  • Giving a blessing - blessing celebrations for same-sex couples


General Assembly Spring 2019 (Mainz) :

  • Choose Europe. Strengthening Democracy - Call for European elections
  • The headquarters of the General Secretariat of the ZdK will move to Johannisstrasse 4 in Berlin in 2022.


General assembly autumn 2018 (Bonn Bad-Godesberg) :

  • Determined joint action, now! General Assembly resolution on the consequences of the study on sexual abuse:

“Internal church, clericalist power structures must be broken up promptly, because the problem lies in the system! This is clearly proven by the abuse study. No justification in canon law or the church teaching office is tenable if it becomes clear that this favors sexual violence. Changes are finally needed. Therefore we demand:

  • Separation of executive and judicial branches in canon law. We demand an independent ecclesiastical administrative jurisdiction for the area of ​​the German Bishops' Conference.
  • In order to create comprehensive transparency and to counteract the clericalization described by Pope Francis, an equal participation of lay and consecrated people in the leadership of the church must be created.
  • To equate women and men in church and therefore to grant women access to all church offices.
  • To work actively to abolish compulsory celibacy
  • To positively recognize the diverse forms of life and realities of life in church sexual morality
  • Development of uniform standards in training for priestly service at the level of the German Bishops' Conference
  • To realize the responsibility and decision-making authority of all baptized and consecrated persons at all levels for the church "
  • Fair care in a caring society - On the future of care work in Germany

General Assembly Spring 2018 (Münster on the occasion of the 101st German Catholic Day ):

  • Münster Manifesto of the Central Committee of German Catholics

General assembly autumn 2017 (Bonn Bad-Godesberg) :

  • A humane asylum policy as a common task of the European Union.
  • Strengthening the cross-diocesan tasks of the Catholic Church in Germany: secure long-term funding, create transparency, enable participation!

General Assembly Spring 2017 (Berlin):

  •  For sustainable religious instruction, confessional, cooperative, dialogical
  •  Show your colors for democracy! Berlin call of the Central Committee of German Catholics for the 2017 election year

General assembly autumn 2016 (Bonn Bad-Godesberg) :

  • Synodality: the structural principle of church action
  • Intergenerational equity, solidarity and personal provision - socio-ethical requirements for old-age security in the living and working world of tomorrow.

General assembly spring 2016 (Leipzig on the occasion of the 100th German Catholic Day ):

  • No violence in the name of God! Christians and Muslims as advocates for peace
  • Preserving dignity, democracy and dialogue after Brexit

General assembly autumn 2015 (Bonn Bad-Godesberg) :

  • For a fair and future-oriented free trade agreement - important requirements for TTIP
  • The power of polyphony - Church in dialogue with arts and cultures
  • Receive the right to family reunification!

General assembly spring 2015 (Würzburg) :

  • Building bridges between teaching and living environment - family and church in today's world
  • For a humane refugee policy
  • Prostitution - a question of human dignity

General assembly autumn 2014 (Bonn Bad-Godesberg) :

  • Call for solidarity with oppressed and persecuted Christians worldwide

General assembly spring 2014 (Regensburg on the occasion of the 99th German Catholic Day ) :

  • Regensburg Appeal - Building bridges with Christ - so that Europe grows together

Members

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General assembly of the Central Committee of German Catholics on November 24, 2017 in Bonn-Bad Godesberg

The general assembly of the Central Committee of German Catholics consists of about 231 (as of: General Assembly November 24, 2017) members:

Malu Dreyer, member of the Central Committee of German Catholics, during the General Assembly on May 10, 2019 in Mainz
Thomas Sternberg, President of the ZdK

Presidium, committees, departments

The ZdK elects its president and several vice-presidents. The election of the president must then be confirmed by the German Bishops' Conference with a two-thirds majority - a majority that Heinz-Wilhelm Brockmann missed for the first time in 2009 .

When the president was elected in November 2009, the CSU politician Alois Glück was elected to succeed the CDU politician Hans Joachim Meyer , followed in November 2015 by Thomas Sternberg (CDU), who was re-elected for another four years on November 24, 2017.

Since the election on November 24, 2017 during the general assembly in Bonn Bad Godesberg, the vice-presidents have been Christoph Braß , Karin Kortmann , Wolfgang Klose and Claudia Lücking-Michel .

Marc Frings is the general secretary and managing director .

The ZdK members also elect the main committees , in which, in addition to members of the Presidium and the speakers of the subject areas, fifteen elected and three co-opted persons are members. During the general assembly on November 24, 2017, the following were elected to the main committee: Karlies Abmeier, Thomas Andonie, Emeka Ani, Birgit Aschmann , Susanne Bühl, Gabriele Erpenbeck, Joachim Frank, Thorsten Kasimirek, Marie-Theres Kastner , Michael Lentze, Andreas Luttmer-Bensmann , Claudia Nothelle , Irme Stetter-Karp, Dirk Tänzler, Agnes Wuckelt.

In addition, the ZdK elects ten people from among its ranks (five members of the Presidium and five members elected by the General Assembly) who, together with ten bishops, form the "Joint Conference" of the Bishops' Conference and ZdK. Elected members are Thomas Antkowiak, Maria Flachsbarth , Dorothea Sattler , Thomas Andonie and Andreas Lob-Hüdepohl .

The ZdK is setting up seven subject areas : Department 1 “Theology, Pastoral and Ecumenical Affairs ” (spokesperson: Dorothea Sattler ), Subject area 2 “Political and ethical issues” ( Bettina Jarasch ), Subject area 3 “Economics and social affairs” ( Hildegard Müller ), Subject area 4 “ Education, Culture, Media ”( Monika Grütters ), Subject Area 5“ Family ”( Birgit Mock ), Subject Area 6“ Sustainable Development and Global Responsibility ”( Barbara Hendricks ), Subject Area“ European Cooperation and Migration ”( Martin Kastler ). The experts meet outside of the general assembly and bring their work to this. The election of the speakers took place on November 24, 2017 during the general assembly in Bonn Bad Godesberg.

For the purpose of interreligious dialogue there are two discussion groups , namely since 1971 the discussion group “Jews and Christians” (chairmen: Dagmar Mensink and Andreas Nachama ) and since 2000 the discussion group “Christians and Muslims” (chairperson: Gabriele Erpenbeck).

Chairperson or President of the ZdK

Relationship to the German Bishops' Conference

"The German Bishops' Conference (DBK) recognizes the ZdK as a lay representative". The lay people of the ZdK advise the bishops on questions of “social, state and church life”. To ensure this exchange, joint conferences take place every six months. Both groups act independently of one another. The spiritual assistant of the ZdK is Stefan Heße , Archbishop of Hamburg .

Pope visit to Germany

During his state visit in 2011 , Pope Benedict XVI met the presidium of the ZdK. The Holy Father expressed his appreciation for the commitment with which the ZdK represents the concerns of Catholics in public and gives suggestions for the apostolic work of the Church and Catholics in society. In his address, the Pope criticized the relativism that pervades all areas of life : "Sometimes this relativism becomes combative when it is directed against people who claim that they know where the truth or the meaning of life can be found." that the "commitment to the common good, in the social and cultural area or for the needy" is decreasing. Many people lack the experience of God's goodness. “They have no contact with the established churches with their traditional structures”. The Pope points out that the church in Germany is “very well organized”: “But is there also the corresponding spiritual power behind the structures - power of faith in a living God? Honestly, we have to say that we have an overhang of structures over the mind. I add: the real crisis of the church in the western world is a crisis of faith. If we do not find a real renewal of the faith, all structural reform will remain ineffective. ”The Pope sees a possible solution in“ small communities ”. After the meeting, ZdK President Alois Glück spoke of “recognition for the diverse commitment of the laity in church and public life”. Pope Benedict was accompanied by the Archbishop of Freiburg, Robert Zollitsch .

Memberships

The Central Committee is a member of the European Movement Germany network .

Positions and Conflicts

Due to the structural reform of the lay committees in the diocese of Regensburg, a conflict has arisen between the ZdK and Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller of Regensburg. In 2006 and 2007 the diocese of Regensburg did not provide any financial support to the Central Committee of German Catholics. The diocese has been fully involved again since 2008.

On January 19, 2009, the Permanent Council of the German Bishops' Conference demanded clarification from the ZdK about its relationship to the controversial Donum Vitae association , after the new state chairman of Donum Vitae in Bavaria, Maria Eichhorn, her election to the ZdK as confirmation of her commitment to Donum Vitae had interpreted.

In November 2012, the ZdK endorsed the dialogue on the admission of remarried divorced Catholics to receiving communion.

In May 2015, it emphasized the importance of marriage: “We are committed to this model of life and encourage couples to promise marriage and to start a family.” And advocated the blessing of same-sex couples .

In December 2017, the ZdK passed seven “Osnabrück Theses” on the question of “women in church offices”. It was u. a. stated: "It is not the access of women to church services and offices that requires justification, but their exclusion".

In 2019, the demand for women to have access to all church offices was reaffirmed.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.zdk.de/ueber-uns/blick-in-die-geschichte/
  2. ↑ http://www.zdk.de/organisation/gremien/praesidium/
  3. ↑ Imprint . Association website. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  4. ↑ The seat within the meaning of association law is Paderborn, according to the register of associations of the Paderborn District Court, VR 505.
  5. ↑ Thomas Grossmann: “Central Committee of German Catholics” in Lexicon for Theology and Church, Herder 2001, pp. 1431–1432.
  6. ↑ Press release: ZDK expanded by three members from native-speaking communities , June 28, 2013.
  7. ↑ a b ZdK - Central Committee of German Catholics | Publications | Press releases | Detail page | Catholic Day 2014 in Regensburg. Retrieved November 22, 2018 (German).
  8. ^ ZdK - Central Committee of German Catholics | Publications | Press releases | Detail page | Warm invitation to the Catholic Day 2018 in Münster. Retrieved November 22, 2018 (German).
  9. ↑ Older explanations can be found here: http://www.zdk.de/veroeffnahmungen/erklaerungen/ .
  10. ↑ https://www.zdk.de/veroeffnahmungen/erklaerungen/detail/Europa-waehlen-Demokratie-staerken--251L/
  11. ↑ https://www.zdk.de/veroeffnahmungen/erklaerungen/detail/Entschlossenes-gemeinsames-Handeln-jetzt--247N/
  12. ^ ZdK - Central Committee of German Catholics | Structure | Members. Retrieved November 22, 2018 (German).
  13. ^ ZdK - Central Committee of German Catholics | Publications | Grains of salt | Detail | 40 years of the "Jews and Christians" discussion group at the ZdK. Retrieved November 22, 2018 (German).
  14. ^ ZdK - Central Committee of German Catholics | Structure | Bodies | Discussion groups | Discussion group "Christians and Muslims" at the ZdK. Retrieved November 22, 2018 (German).
  15. ↑ a b The voice of the layman. Retrieved November 22, 2018 .
  16. ↑ Archbishop Dr. Robert Zollitsch: "... proclaim the gospel of God boldly and fearlessly". (PDF) February 28, 2013, accessed November 22, 2018 .
  17. ^ ZdK - Central Committee of German Catholics | Publications | Speeches and contributions. Retrieved November 22, 2018 (German).
  18. ↑ It is time for the ZdK to find its way back to church standards. kath.net, December 4, 2006
  19. ↑ Die Tagespost: Bishops demand clarification from the ZdK . In: die-tagespost.de . January 22, 2009 ( die-tagespost.de [accessed on November 22, 2018] fee-based post).
  20. ↑ ZdK encourages dialogue about the situation of the divorced remarried
  21. ^ ZdK meeting in Würzburg | DOMRADIO.DE. Retrieved November 22, 2018 .
  22. ↑ News from the Vatican - All News from the Church - Vatican News. Retrieved November 22, 2018 .
  23. ↑ The refusal of access for women to all church offices must be justified. ZdK, December 12, 2017, accessed on May 12, 2019 .
  24. ↑ ZdK President sums up the General Assembly: “Groundbreaking Resolutions”. In: Domradio. May 12, 2019, accessed May 12, 2019 .