The Vatican’s unspoken message to the German Bishops: Don’t get too far out in front of our Synodal reforms….
The Vatican has rejected a request from the German bishops for permission to allow lay persons to deliver the homily in “exceptional circumstances” instead of a cleric.
The German bishops had requested a special formal permission, known as an indult, in March of this year.
The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments – the Vatican department responsible liturgical matters – conveyed their negative response in a letter addressed to the president of the German bishops’ conference last week.
The dicastery issued a rare press release announcing the decision on Tuesday, explaining that the reservation of the homily to an ordained minister is not a mere matter of disciple, but “derives from the very nature of the liturgy.”
The statement expressed “appreciation for the pastoral concerns that inspired the request,” and said the letter to the German bishops “emphasized the importance of promoting the ongoing formation” for priests, especially regarding the preaching of homilies.
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