As the plenary assembly of the Synodal Path got underway in Frankfurt last week, with a debate on sexual morality - amid warnings from the Vatican - progressives failed to pass a document updating teaching on sexual ethics, with Living in succeeding relationships rejected, but only just. While over two-thirds of participants voted to adopt the text, and while a majority of bishops voted to adopt it as well, as the synod required a two-thirds majority of bishops to pass, the measure ultimately failed. Still, that a majority backed the measure at all will ring alarm bells in Rome. It is still possible the text is brought to Pope Francis directly in January, according to Bishop Georg Bätzing. The bishop – who is Chairman of Germany’s Bishops’ Conference – also said he would seek to implement the text in his own diocese.