‘Hab Mut, Steh Auf’: what Ireland can learn from the German Katholikentag

In May I had the privilege of attending the 104th German Katholikentag in Würzburg, Germany. This was a gathering that brought together tens of thousands of Catholics from across Germany and beyond under the striking theme ‘Hab Mut, steh auf!’ in English, ‘Take courage, stand up.’ Over five days, the beautiful city of Würzburg became a place of prayer, dialogue, debate, music, liturgy, encounter and public witness. It was neither a conference, nor a festival (although at times, walking through the exhibitions and tents, it felt like I was at Longitude in Marlay Park!) It was a living expression of a Church trying to walk together in faith amidst the complexity of modern society.

I was invited as a guest panellist alongside Cardinal Mario Grech, Cardinal László Német (Belgrade), Sr Prof. Birgit Weiler MMS, and a young theology student, Finja Miriam Weber. I arrived in Würzburg with a lot of curiosity and hope. Germany’s ecclesial landscape is, of course, very different from our own. Yet, despite the differences in context, culture and history, I found myself asking repeatedly, “What might the Church in Ireland learn from an experience like this? Could we one day host something similar here?”

Gathering

With a history stretching back more than 175 years, Katholikentag has long been a space where faith and public life meet. Organised largely by lay Catholics through the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), it has long been a space where faith and public life meet. This year’s gathering attracted over 70,000 participants and included around 900 events: liturgies, workshops, concerts, exhibitions, theological discussions, social justice forums, youth events, a circus tent, and serious political debates. The programme was intentionally broad, reflecting the conviction that faith must engage with every aspect of human life.

What struck me first was the atmosphere. There was a palpable sense of openness and participation. Clergy, religious and laity shared spaces naturally and collaboratively. Young people were visible and actively involved. There was a strong culture of volunteering and hospitality. The city itself embraced the event, with churches, schools, theatres and public squares transformed into spaces of encounter.

As I moved from venue to venue, I found bishops, politicians, religious men and women chatting informally with young adults”

What surprised me most was how unforced it all felt. There was no sense that anyone was trying to prove that the Church was alive or relevant. People simply gathered because they wanted to pray, learn, debate, sing and spend time together as fellow pilgrims. In many ways, that quiet confidence was one of the most powerful witnesses of the week.

As I moved from venue to venue, I found bishops, politicians, religious men and women chatting informally with young adults over coffee, volunteers patiently directing thousands of visitors with warmth and humour, tents, community centres and churches alive with prayer, conversation and music throughout the day, spontaneous dancing and singing outside exhibition tents, and a genuine ease to the encounters that made participation feel natural rather than programmed.

Importantly, Katholikentag was not inward-looking. It did not present the Church as withdrawn from society or fearful of difficult conversations. Instead, it modelled a Church willing to engage publicly and honestly with the realities of our time. Democracy, migration, peacebuilding, ecology, social cohesion, inclusion, secularisation and the future of faith in Europe were all topics of discussion as I made my way from space to space.

This openness to dialogue was reflected in the presence of political leaders, civic organisations, ecumenical representatives and other faiths. The event created opportunities for respectful dialogue between Church and society and, in a fragmented and more polarised world, that kind of encounter matters deeply.

Meaning

At times in Ireland, we can fall into the temptation of imagining that the Church’s role is diminishing simply because institutional participation has declined. Yet Katholikentag reminded me that the hunger for meaning, community, spirituality and hope remains very real. The challenge is not whether people still search for these things; it is whether we can create spaces where they can genuinely encounter them.

The synodal process has consistently invited us to become a Church of listening, participation and shared responsibility. In many ways, Katholikentag embodied that spirit. It was imperfect, certainly, and at times tensions were visible, including during the panel discussion in which I participated. One exchange, prompted by a young German woman reflecting on the participation of women in the life of the Church, revealed just how deeply some questions continue to be felt.

Yet what struck me was not the disagreement itself, but the willingness to remain in dialogue. There was no attempt to silence difficult questions or pretend that tensions did not exist. Perhaps that too is part of synodality. Not the absence of disagreement, but the willingness to remain in conversation while discerning together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

One of the most moving aspects of the gathering was the integration of prayer and public life. Serious debate sat alongside moments of profound worship and silence. Large liturgical celebrations drew thousands together in prayer, while smaller gatherings offered opportunities for reflection, reconciliation and spiritual accompaniment. This balance felt significant.

The event was not merely political or sociological; it remained deeply rooted in faith. Perhaps the moment that captured this most powerfully for me was the Saturday evening prayer service in the expansive square in front of the Würzburg Residenz.

Thousands gathered as dusk fell for a candlelight service of blessing. It was striking to witness such a large public space become a place of prayer. The silence, the music, the flickering candles and the simplicity of the liturgy created a profound sense that public witness and deep spirituality belong together. It was both deeply prayerful and quietly moving.

The event demonstrated the importance of creating spaces where faith intersects with contemporary social realities”

For the Church in Ireland, there are important lessons here.

Firstly, large-scale gatherings of faith still matter. In recent years, many of our Church conversations have understandably focused on decline, closures and institutional fragility. While realism is necessary, we must also recover confidence in the possibility of renewal. Events like Katholikentag demonstrate that people will still gather when invited into something meaningful, participatory and hopeful.

Secondly, the involvement of lay people is essential. Lay women and men play a central role in shaping the vision and delivery of Katholikentag. This reflects one of the deepest calls of synodality: recognising the baptismal dignity and responsibility of all the faithful. In Ireland, we are already seeing signs of this through parish renewal initiatives, diocesan conversations, lay ministries and the ongoing work of the Irish Synodal Pathway. But there is room to grow much further in confidence and collaboration.

Thirdly, the event demonstrated the importance of creating spaces where faith intersects with contemporary social realities. Many Catholics long for opportunities to explore how the Gospel speaks into issues such as housing, migration, mental health, sexuality, ecology, poverty, peacebuilding and the digital world. Too often these conversations happen elsewhere, disconnected from ecclesial life. A gathering like Katholikentag offers an integrated vision where faith and public engagement belong together.

Hopes

Could Ireland host something similar? I believe we could. Not by replicating the German model. Ireland’s Church culture, demographics and resources differ significantly. Any Irish equivalent would need to emerge organically from our own context and needs. Yet I believe there is enormous potential for a national gathering rooted in synodality, encounter and hope. It would not be an Irish version of Katholikentag, but an expression of the gifts, history and culture of the Church in Ireland. Synodality does not ask us to copy another Church; it invites us to discover what the Holy Spirit is calling forth in our own.

Imagine spaces where young adults could openly discuss faith and vocation”

Imagine, for example, a national Catholic gathering hosted in one of our cities every few years combining liturgy, music, dialogue, culture, cuisine, theological reflection and public engagement. Imagine the larger public squares in our cities animated by music, prayer and conversation throughout the day; cafés hosting theology discussions; museums, theatres, churches and schools becoming places of dialogue between faith and contemporary culture; exhibitions where Catholic charities, religious congregations, youth movements and parish initiatives stand side by side; and families moving naturally between liturgy, concerts, panel discussions and other activities. Imagine parish groups travelling together as pilgrims.

Imagine spaces where young adults could openly discuss faith and vocation, where survivors’ voices could be heard honestly, where ecology and social justice could be explored through the lens of Catholic social teaching, where art and culture could help express the richness of faith, and where prayer remained at the centre.

Reflection

Such an event would not solve all the challenges facing the Church in Ireland. Nor should we romanticise large gatherings as a substitute for local parish renewal and everyday discipleship. But moments of collective encounter can renew imagination and strengthen communion. They can remind us that we belong to something larger than ourselves.

Pope Francis has often spoken of the need for a Church that goes outwards; a Church not afraid to encounter people where they are. My time in Würzburg offered a glimpse of what that can look like in practice. It offered a Church visible in public space, willing to listen, capable of dialogue and rooted in hope.

The synodal journey in Ireland is ultimately about learning how to walk together more faithfully”

As I left Germany, I found myself reflecting on the courage implied in Katholikentag’s theme: “Take courage, stand up.” Courage is indeed what the Church in Ireland needs today. Not triumphalism or defensiveness, but the quiet courage to listen deeply, to trust the Holy Spirit, to create spaces of encounter and to imagine new possibilities for mission.

The synodal journey in Ireland is ultimately about learning how to walk together more faithfully as the People of God. Experiences like the Katholikentag remind us that when people gather intentionally in faith, dialogue and hope, renewal can begin to emerge in unexpected ways. Perhaps the question is no longer whether Ireland could host something similar. Maybe the Holy Spirit is already inviting us to begin?