The Head of the Vatican's Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,
has criticised German church life and
slammed the first ecumenical church assembly, or Kirchentag, which was
held in Berlin in May.
Cardinal Ratzinger said he
had found the Kirchentag
'without clarity'
and also called German lay organisations
bureaucratic and said they showed no sign
of the 'joy of faith.'
'It was more a
self-celebration and self-enjoyment,'
he said. 'The
face of Christ the crucified, calling us to discipleship and leading us to
resurrection, did not appear enough.'
His view was backed by Cardinal Joachim
Meisner of Cologne
but the head of the German bishops'
conference, Cardinal Karl Lehmann
of Mainz, said Cardinal Ratzinger's
comments were 'hurtful.'
