Germany: Bishops Conference kicks off in Fulda

W/S Bishops arriving for 4 day long German Bishops Conference in Fulda
M/S Bishops greeting each other
C/U Cardinal Reinhard Marx speaking with a bishop
M/S Marx in front of statue of Jesus on cross
W/S Bishops greeting each other
C/U Bishops talking
W/S Bishops starting the conference
W/S Marx walking up to podium for a press conference
C/U Logo German Bishops Conference
SOT, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, (German): ''It was clear from the beginning that the Catholic church in Germany will not release itself from the Catholic church in Rome or worldwide.''
C/U Marx hands *cutaway*
SOT Cardinal Reinhard Marx, (German): "I say there is no stop sign [from Rome]. There was a constructive meeting with Cardinal [Marc] Ouellet as well as with the Pope and this is what I will discuss with the bishops tomorrow. Therefore I don't see that the 'Synodal path' is in anyway threatened now.''
M/S Journalist asks question *CUTAWAY*
SOT Cardinal Reinhard Marx, (German): "In his letter, the Pope has opened the doors [for the 'Synodal path'] and how we understand him, how I understood him and what I also felt confirmed in our talk, he points out the things we should keep an eye on.''
C/U Cross necklace around Marx neck *CUTAWAY*
SOT Cardinal Reinhard Marx, (German): "He said 'keep on walking in this direction'. Surely this will not be easy, because there are different positions. You can feel this, we cannot hide this. But it has to be made certain, that the topic of evangelisation is important but also all other topics that had been brought to the surface through this discussion, that have been there for a long time.''
C/U Marx hands *CUTAWAY*
SOT Cardinal Reinhard Marx, (German): "It is a heavy discussion, it is about the questions of the church's future, where we have many different positions. And then I have, or we all together have to try to stay in a good atmosphere during the dialogue and point our ears to the sky. Not only what I believe but what He (God) believes.''
C/U Camera *CUTAWAY*
W/S Marx leaving
W/S Women protesting outside the Michaels Church in Fulda
M/S Women protesting
M/S Women and men protesting
C/U Drums
M/S Women protesting
W/S Police watches protesting
M/S Women chanting "equal and able now"
W/S Women form a human cross
SCRIPT
Cardinal Reinhard Marx welcomed the 69 members of the German Bishops Conference for the biannual meeting in Fulda, on Monday. On the discussion table include the preparations of the so called 'Synodal path' as well as political developments in Germany, climate change and refugee aid.
The 'Synodal path' is a two year dialogue between votary and non-votary members of the German Catholic Church to face the ongoing crises of dwindling membership numbers, the sexual abuse of minors, sexual morals and gender equality. The process of the 'Synodal path' is scheduled to start on the first Sunday of Advent.
Marx said during the press conference that the 'Synodal path' is not threatened in any way, with the Pope saying to walk into his direction. Marx admitted, that the discussions will be "heavy". "It is about the questions of the church's future, where we have many different positions," he added.
The conference was met with a protest by people campaigning for gender equality within the Catholic Church, including the right to become a priest or a votary.
The conference, which is conducted behind closed doors, will end on September 26.