Common Word of the Church People's Conference 2022 in Cologne

["We are going ahead ‐ for a synodal church of the future" was the motto of the Church People's Conference (KirchenVolksKonferenz) initiated and organised by We are Church Germany on 24 and 25 September 2022 in Cologne. More than 150 people representing a total of 38 concerned initiatives, reform groups and large associations came to this networking meeting and unanimously adopted this "Common Word" on 24 September 2022. More: www.kvk2022.de]

Our world is in a deep chain of very different crises. The Roman Catholic Church is doing less and less justice to its responsibility because of abuse and cover‐ups as well as human rights violations and various forms of discrimination. As a result, it has long been losing fundamental importance and credibility.

In this deep existential crisis, 38 reform groups, associations of affected persons, Catholic associations as well as Catholic associations, religious congregations and initiative groups held a joint Church‐Peoples‐ Conference on the last weekend of September 2022 in Cologne. Also Individuals as well as those who had left the Church were also involved. The need for closer networking and cooperation between all reform forces was recently demonstrated again at the fourth at the fourth plenary meeting of the Synodal Way.

In view of the challenges ahead in our country and worldwide, there is a need for a common search for that which gives people orientation, carries us and creates a community of solidarity. In the spirit of ecumenism and the responsibility of all for the one world, we want to bring new hope to church and society. Our Common word is a commitment for ourselves, is addressed to the church leaders and is also intended to encourage those involved in the Synodal Way. We endorse its indispensable demands for reform.

As a broad and open grassroots movement, we are committed to this:

  • together with other reform forces and theologians, a theological, spiritual return to the good news of Jesus and a structural reorientation;
  • to create a church that is gender‐just and recognises diverse forms of life;
  • to recognise the "signs of the times" and to take them seriously, as well as to carry out the necessary and sustainable transformation processes in our church and in our society; and our society;
  • to understand the church from below, from the margins and from the marginalised and to support the congregations and believers in becoming active themselves, to take responsibility as a "local church" and to empower themselves to act on their own;
  • to implement separation of powers and a charter of fundamental rights in the church, which also protect individuals, including the Vatican's endorsement of the Human Rights Charter;
  • to expand the 2023 Synod into a World Synod with equal voting rights for the people of God as a concrete sign of ecclesial conversion;

We know that we are connected with reform initiatives worldwide: "We go ahead ‐ for a synodal church of the future".

Resolved on 24 September 2022 and announced at the mass on 25 September 2022 in Cologne‐Deutz Participating or supporting groups overleaf

The following Catholic associations and initiatives, reform groups and initiatives of those concerned had agreed to participate in or support the KirchenVolksKonferenz:

  1. Aktion „Lila Stola“
  2. Aktionsgemeinschaft Rottenburg
  3. Basisgemeinde Friedrich Spee, Hannover
  4. Betroffeneninitiative Süddeutschland e. V.
  5. Bund der Deutschen Katholischen Jugend (BDKJ)
  6. Eckiger Tisch e. V.
  7. Emmaus-Wege Köln
  8. Frauenwürde e. V.
  9. Freckenhorster Kreis
  10. Gemeindeinitiative.org
  11. Imprimatur. nachrichten und kritische meinungen aus der katholischen kirche
  12. Initiative Maria 2.0
  13. Initiative Münchner Kreis
  14. Initiative pro concilio e. V.
  15. Initiative Sauerteig Garching
  16. Initiativgruppe vom Zölibat betroffener Frauen
  17. Institut für Theologie und Politik (ITP)
  18. Internationale Priesterinnenbewegung RCWP (RomanCatholicWomenPriests)
  19. Katholische Frauengemeinschaft Deutschlands (kfd)
  20. Katholischer Deutscher Frauenbund (KDFB)
  21. Katholischer Klartext
  22. Katholisches LSBT+ Komitee
  23. KirchenVolksBewegung Wir sind Kirche
  24. Laienverantwortung Regensburg e. V., eine Vereinigung von Gläubigen nach CIC c. 215
  25. Leserinitiative Publik-Forum e. V.
  26. MoJoRed e. V., Missbrauchsopfer Josephinum Redemptoristen
  27. ND AK Erneuerung der Kirche
  28. Ökumenische Arbeitsgruppe Homosexuelle und Kirche (HuK) e. V.
  29. Ökumenische Initiative Eine Welt (Int. Erd-Charta-Initiative in Dt.)
  30. OrdensFrauen für MenschenWürde (OFMW)
  31. #OutInChurch
  32. pax christi – Deutsche Sektion e. V.
  33. Pfarrer-Initiative Deutschland
  34. Priester im Dialog umsteuern!
  35. Robin Sisterhood e. V.
  36. Unabhängiger Betroffenenbeirat in der Erzdiözese München und Freising
  37. Vereinigung katholischer Priester und ihrer Frauen e. V.
  38. Vernetzung berufener Frauen »... weil Gott es so will«