The bishops of Germany have voted to adopt a set of statutes for their long-planned “Synodal Assembly.” The bishops voted to adopt the statutes by a margin of 51-12 with 1 abstention. The statutes create an assembly in partnership with the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), the leaders of which have openly insisted on an end to clerical celibacy, the immediate ordination of women to the diaconate and eventually to the priesthood, and the blessing of same sex unions in churches. [1]