GERMANY: FAMILY, QUESTIONNAIRES BEING REVIEWED IN THE RUN-UP TO THE SYNOD

Today, the German bishops will start to review the results of the Vatican questionnaire about the family, in the run-up to next Autumn’s special Synod: "We will consult each other about the results and a summary of the figures", announced yesterday monsignor Robert Zollitsch, president of the German Bishops Conference (Dbk), just before the Permanent Council of Dbk, which is gathering in Würzburg. Mons. Zollitsch said he rejoices "for the great interest shown in the questionnaire". "The dioceses and associations have sent the Bishops Conference about one thousand pages of comments. By the end of next week, a full summary will be sent on to Rome", the emeritus archbishop of Freiburg stated. Mons. Zollitsch then added that, at the end of last year, the comments sent by the dioceses were reviewed by multiple experts. "The efforts", he noticed, "made in such a short time by the individual participants and by the institutions in charge of reviewing and processing the figures is praiseworthy. On one side, this is evidence of the vital importance of the topic as a whole, on the other side it shows there is great interest in providing one’s ideas and feedback about the preparations for the Synod. I look forward to receiving the results from the other Bishops Conferences", mgr. Zollitsch concluded.