The bishops of Germany have formally adopted the statutes for a future national “Synodal Conference” following the conclusion of the controversial Synodal Way, setting the stage for a decisive judgement from Rome.
Meeting in Würzburg from February 23 to 26 for their spring plenary assembly, the members of the German Bishops’ Conference approved the text on February 24. The statutes will now be forwarded to the Holy See for recognition, without which the body cannot be established.
In a statement issued on the day of the vote, the conference said: “The plenary assembly of the German Bishops’ Conference today (February 24, 2026) adopted the statutes of the future Synodal Conference of the Catholic Church in Germany. The plenary assembly of the Central Committee of German Catholics had already approved the statutes in November 2025.”
