Media release, Rome, October 23, 2025

We are Church welcomes the invitation from the Synod Office for We Are Church International to send delegates to the Jubilee Synod in Rome. We are glad that representatives of We Are Church International from Austria, Germany, Ireland and Italy will participate this weekend in the Vatican and will be able to bring our gifts and ideas to the global church.

Red Thread from Abuse Scandal to Church Reform

We are Church was founded in Austria in 1995 as a positive initiative after the abuse scandal with Cardinal Groer of Vienna/Austria and the way the church leadership dealt with that scandal. According to Can. 212 § 3. we collected almost 2 million signatures in Austria, Germany and Southern Tyrol for the following five goals and demands:

1.  Shared Decision Making – synodality on all levels
2.  Equality for all Genders - eg women in all ministries
3.  Optional Celibacy
4.  Positive and helpful Sexual Morality
5.  A Welcome for All, magnaminity instead of a rigid adherence to the law

Since then – and that is 30 years ago – we have been waiting for at least a serious discussion on the matter. There is a direct line – a red thread – from the Vienna abuse scandal with Cardinal Groër to the 1995 We are Church Referendum in Austria and Germany to the Synodal Path in Germany, which was started in 2019, to the World-Wide Synodal Process initiated by Pope Francis in 2021, which Pope Leo is now continuing. For us not surprisingly: the same topics have been discussed in all these forums.

Synodal Process Needs More Courage

We Are Church International has supported the Synodal process from the start and this gathering in Rome is very important to re-invigorate the synodal process that needs more courage at many local churches. In our international network we observe that there are many bishops around the world who are taking a wait-and-see approach. Local Churches must be more active in making appropriate concrete proposals to implement synodality, says the Final Document of October 2024 which was declared to be part of the Magisterium by Pope Franics. Synodality calls for a spiritual and structural renewal of our church. We need to find new ways of being church.

Recognize Unity in Diversity

The Final Document of the Synod on Synodality allows different initiatives to be taken in different places. This represents unity in diversity. After 4 years of listening and dialogue and prayer it is past time for concrete initiatives to be taken with all the baptised for reform of structures and institutions. This is a crucial point in the entire process: Without concrete changes in the short term, the vision of a synodal Church will not be credible. Pope Leo XlV has endorsed Pope Francis’ synodal process for which appropriate decision making and decision taking processes need to be developed at all levels.

We Are Church International wrote to our bishops on 25 July 2025 suggesting some concrete initiatives we would support including these 3:

1. Ordination of Women Deacons
2. Competent Women and Men preaching and leading parishes.
3. Lay led liturgies with communion

In addition to that, Pope Leo, could show concrete support for Synodality by expanding the C9 Council of Cardinals advisory team to include several women.

Local churches have to become active

The Synod does not end with this Jubilee big meeting in Rome; it continues – and it must continue – both here in Rome and in every diocese and parish around the world. Pope Francis has outlined a road map until 2028, that was confirmed by Pope Leo. But synodality should not become a buzzword, without much real substance behind it.

Now the local churches have to become active. The final document of the World Synod of October 26, 2024, makes it clear: Local churches in particular must now create structures that ensure that the entire community plays an active role in all essential decision making and decision taking. These structures must make clear how lay people, and especially women, who all have the same baptismal dignity as the clergy, must be equally involved in the decision-making and administration of the Church. This is one big step in a direction supported by millions world-wide. We do not pin our hopes on a nail or on anything or anybody but God.

Media contact in Rome:

Colm Holmes (IRELAND) Chair of We Are Church International
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone: +353 86606 3636

Dr Martha Heizer (AUSTRIA) Vice-Chair We are Church International
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone: +43 650 4168500

Christian Weisner (GERMANY) We Are Church in Germany
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone: +49 172 51 84 082

Elza Ferrario (ITALY) Joint Coordinator of Noi Siamo Chiesa
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone: +39 333 742 3235