Pope Francis accepts resignation of German bishops’ VP

Bishop Franz-Josef Bode was one of the chief organizers of the country’s controversial ‘synodal way.’

Pope Francis accepted the resignation Saturday of one of Germany’s leading Catholic bishops.

Bishop Franz-Josef Bode attends the synodal way’s final plenary assembly in Frankfurt, Germany, on March 9, 2023. © Synodaler Weg/Maximilian von Lachner.

The Vatican announced March 25 that the pope had accepted Bishop Franz-Josef Bode’s resignation as head of the…