The president of the German bishops’ conference has issued a public response to a cautionary message from 70 bishops who have warned that the German “Synodal Path” is raising the danger of schism.

Bishop Georg Bätzing insisted that despite its radical proposals for change in Church teaching and discipline, the Synodal Path “in no way undermines the authority of the Church.”

The German bishops’ leader argued that the Synodal Path represents a necessary response to the crisis of abuse in the Church. Firing back at the more than 70 bishops from around the world who had signed the critical statement, he professed surprise that they “did not see the importance of the necessity to face the question of abuse.” He added: “Euphemistic dressing up, as you try to do in your letter, does not really help.”