Abstract

Stefan Endriß:
»It is in Confession that the transformation of Every Individual Member of the Faithful and the Church begin.«
The Reform of the Church in the Eyes of Pope Francis
(FKTh 2016-2, p. 118–126)

The author investigates, to what extent the public reception of questions concerning the reform of the Church by Pope Francis corresponds to what he says about it. Analysing papal statements in various writings and speeches the author shows that Pope Francis doesn’t emphasise questions of structure, but focuses on the spiritual matter as a con-version of all members of the Church instead: »It is in Confession that the transformation of every individual member of the faithful and the reform of the Church begin.« This reform of all members – bishops, priests and layman – as a new devotion to Jesus Christ is the foundation of every structural reform. In consequence, all structural reform can only aim at giving the Church an appearance enabling the world so see the love of God in it, incarnated in Jesus Christ.