Central Committee of German Catholics

The Central Committee of German Catholics ( ZdK ) is the association of representatives of the Diocesan Councils and Catholic associations and institutions of lay representation and other personalities from the church and society. The seat of the ZdK is in Bonn.

The ZdK is recognized in accordance with the decree of the Second Vatican Council on the Laity (No. 26) of the German Bishops' Conference as a coordinating body, however, is not an organ of the Church, or a representation of all the Catholic laity represents the central committee members make up their minds on their own responsibility and are independent of the decisions of other bodies.

The ZdK among other initiator and support of German Catholics days. Moreover, taking place at irregular intervals Ecumenical Church Day of ZdK and the German Evangelical Church will be organized jointly.

History

In 1848, the hit " Pius Association for Religious Freedom " and many other Catholic movements for the first Catholic ( 3 - 6 October 1848). This has since held annual meetings required to organize a " Central Committee of the Catholic associations of Germany," which was later renamed the " Central Committee of German Catholics days." The first election of the Committee was held at the Catholic Bamberg in 1868. The first president was Prince Karl of Löwenstein. Already in 1871, the Central Committee had 270 members from the dioceses. During National Socialism, no Catholics Days took place, therefore also lost the Central Committee in importance. The first Catholic Day of the postwar period was in 1948 in Mainz. 1952 took the Central Committee of German Catholics under its current name back to work. " Specifically in the foreground of his work was now the task of coordinating the diverse forces of the Catholic laity work and social activity of the laity to the inside and to represent them in public. " Self-conception and structure of the ZdK developed as a result of Vatican II and the results of Würzburg Synod. The " Joint Action Committee of Catholic Christians in the GDR" was included in the ZdK 1990. In November 1995, it was the last major reform statutes regarding operation and integration of new initiatives, clergy communities and movements. At the General Assembly in the spring of 2013 paved the way for members of native-language communities was prepared by amending the statutes. Since June 2013 the ZdK has three members from native-speaking communities: Chukwuemeka Ani (African Catholics ), José Alberto Haro Ibanez ( Spanish-speaking Catholics ) and Piotr Maloszewski (Polish -speaking Catholics ).

Tasks

The ZdK has according to its Statute the following tasks:

• It monitors developments in social, political and ecclesiastical life and represents the concerns of many, but not all Catholics in public.
• There are suggestions for the apostolic work of the Church and of Catholics in society and does the work of the forces from each other, are united in him.
• It contributes to the ecclesiastical decisions on the diocesan level and advises the German Bishops' Conference on issues of social, political and ecclesiastical life.
• It has joint initiatives and events of German Catholics, such as the German Catholics days to prepare and perform.
• It takes the concerns and responsibilities of the German Catholics true abroad and at international level.
• It contributes to the implementation and compliance with the relevant measures concern.

Catholic / Ecumenical Church

Together with the respective host Diocese of the Central Committee of German Catholics is the organizer of the Catholic Conference. The five -day event takes place every two years in different cities. In the years 2003 and 2010, the first and second Ecumenical Church Congress took place in Berlin (2003 ) and Munich ( 2010). The 98th German Catholic was from 16 to 20 May 2012 in Mannheim in the Archdiocese of Freiburg as a guest. He stood under the motto "Dare to a new beginning ."

The 99 Catholic Day 2014 under the theme " build bridges with Christ " to be held in Regensburg. The autumn plenary session of the ZdK adopted in November 2011 at the invitation of Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller. The General Assembly evaluates the invitation of the current conservative bishop as " an expression of appreciation of the grown tradition and the self-understanding of German Catholics days " and paid tribute to them in the context of the dialogue process between bishops and laity. Müller himself will no longer welcome the Catholics in his Diözsese because it is 2012, Prefect of the Congregation since July 2. The host bishop in the diocese of Regensburg 's Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer.

Members

The plenary session of the Central Committee of German Catholics consists of about 230 members:

• 97 members are elected by the Association of Catholic organizations in Germany ( AGKOD ). These include, for example, Thomas Antkowiak ( Misereor ), Rev. George Austen ( Bonifatiuswerk ), Georg Cremer ( German Caritas Association eV ) or Thomas Doerflinger ( Kolping Society ).
• 84 members come from the lay representatives of German Dioceses (Catholic councils and diocesan councils), three from each of the 28 dioceses.
• 45 members are co-opted as individuals, which usually originate from politics or public life. To add the selected members include the politician Dieter Althaus (CDU ), Alois Glück (CSU ), Karin Kortmann (SPD ), Philipp Rösler (FDP ), Wolfgang Thierse (SPD ), the journalist Peter Frey, senior consultant Thomas von Mitschke - Collande, Maria Böhmer ( CDU), Armin Laschet (CDU ) and Josef Winkler ( alliance 90/The Greens ). After the election in November 2008, the long-time members Annette Schavan ( CDU) dropped out (CDU ), Erwin Teufel (CDU) and Bernhard Vogel.

Bureau, committees, matters

The ZdK elect its President and several Vice-Presidents. The election of the president must then be confirmed by the German Bishops' Conference by a two -thirds majority - a majority that was missed in 2009 for Heinz -Wilhelm Brockmann first time.

In the election of the President in November 2009, the CSU politician Alois Glück was elected successor of the CDU politician Hans -Joachim Meyer.

Vice- President are Christoph Braß, Karin Kortmann, Claudia Lücking -Michel and Alois Wolf. Secretary General Stefan Vesper, Managing Director Bernhard Schmitz.

Both the President Alois Glück and the Vice-Presidents and Vice-Presidents were re-elected in the election on 22 November 2013.

The ZdK members also select the main committees in which in addition to committee members and the speakers of the matters 15 elected and three co-opted members are persons. In addition, the ZdK selects from among its 10 persons, which together with 10 bishops, the " Joint Conference ".

The ZdK establishes seven subject areas: Pastoral basic questions, Political and ethical issues, economic and social affairs, education, culture and media, family Political basic issues, sustainable development and global responsibility, European cooperation and intercultural issues. Tangible Prepare meet outside the plenary sessions and bring their work into this.

For the purpose of interreligious dialogue, there are two discussion groups, namely since 1971, the discussion group "Jews and Christians " and since 2000, the discussion group "Christians and Muslims."

Chairman and President of the ZdK

Relation to the German Bishops' Conference

" The German Bishops' Conference ( DBK ) recognizes the ZdK as a lay representative to ". The lay of the ZdK advise the bishops in matters of " social, civil and religious life." To ensure this exchange take place every six months, joint conferences. Both groups act independently. Ecclesiastical Assistant of the ZdK is Gebhard Fürst, Bishop of the Diocese of Rottenburg -Stuttgart.

Pope's visit to Germany

During his state visit in 2011 met Pope Benedict XVI. the Bureau of ZdK. The Holy Father expressed his appreciation for the dedication with which the ZdK represents the concerns of Catholics in public, and gives suggestions for the apostolic work of the Church and of Catholics in society. In his address, the Pope criticized the all areas of life pervading relativism: "Sometimes this relativism is combative when he turns against people who claim that they know where to find the truth or meaning of life. " Next the Pope explains, that the " commitment to the common good, the social and cultural area, or for those in need " pick up. Many people lacked the experience of God's goodness. "One of the established churches with their traditional structures they find no contact". The Pope points out that the Church in Germany " well organized " was: "But behind the structures, the corresponding spiritual strength - power of faith in a living God we are honest we have to say but that it us a surplus of structures? are against the spirit that I would add. .. the actual crisis of the Church in the western world is a crisis of faith, if we do not find a real renewal of faith, all structural reform will remain ineffective " One possible solution involves the Pope in "small communities". ZdK president Alois Glück said after the meeting of a " recognition of the diverse use of the laity in the 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.

Conflicts

Due to the structural reform of the bodies lay in the diocese of Regensburg has occurred between the ZdK and Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller of Regensburg to conflict. In the years 2006 and 2007, the diocese of Regensburg granted to the Central Committee of German Catholics no financial support. Since 2008, the diocese involved again completely.

The Permanent Council of the German Bishops Conference demanded on 19 January 2009, a clarification from ZdK about his relationship with the controversial club Donum vitae, after the new state chairman of Donum Vitae in Bavaria, Maria Eichhorn, their choice in the ZdK as a confirmation of its commitment to Donum Vitae had interpreted.

In 2000 was founded by conservative Catholics, the Forum German Catholics, including on the grounds that the ZdK German Catholics no longer represent the Catholic faith not testify undiminished and the Pope did not support unreservedly.

More criticism of the ZdK founded on its alleged lack of democratic legitimacy and not always given neutrality.

In November 2012, the ZdK advocated dialogue on the approval of remarried divorced Catholics to receive Communion.