Catholic Church reforms necessary, says Swiss Cardinal

Cardinal Tscherrig hopes a more inclusive synod will spark reforms. Keystone

The new Swiss Cardinal Emil Paul Tscherrig hopes for real church reforms at the world synod in Rome that begins on Wednesday. “I hope that the synodal process will successfully bring the necessary changes in the Church,” he told the Sonntagsblick newspaper.

A lot of work still needs to be done so that, in addition to the priests, the laity are also more involved in church affairs and are more involved, said the 76-year-old from Valais.

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A total of 365 voting members will take part in the conference from October 4 to 29. Although the vast majority are bishops, there are also other clergy and lay people (non-clergy). For the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, 55 women will take part as voting members. In addition, there are experts who are not allowed to vote. “I hope that the synod will find new ways,” said Tscherrig.

However, Tscherrig did not want to comment on the church’s current problems surrounding the Swiss abuse study. “The topic concerns me very much. But I can’t comment on it because I live outside Switzerland.” The University of Zurich published a study in mid-September that documented 1,002 cases of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Switzerland since the middle of the 20th century. According to the researchers, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

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Tscherrig was appointed Cardinal on Saturday alongside 20 other bishops and archbishops in the Vatican. He is currently the second Swiss cardinal in the Vatican alongside Kurt Koch and only the tenth Swiss to hold the office. Cardinals are the Holy Father’s most important advisors and administrators. They also elect the Pope.

Becoming Pope himself is currently out of the question for Tscherrig. “No, I can’t imagine that,” he told the newspaper. As to whether he would still accept an election, he said: “I don’t know.” He was already preparing for his retirement. Everything was settled and his term as Nuncio to Italy was supposed to end in February. “Now I don’t know what the new order is,” said the cardinal newly installed by the Pope.

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