Cardinal Willem Eijk. / Credit: Bohumil Petrik/CNA

Vatican City, Oct 16, 2024 / 12:20 pm (CNA).

A Dutch cardinal has cautioned against misguided reform efforts within the Catholic Church, warning that regional solutions to contentious issues could undermine the Church’s credibility.

Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, archbishop of Utrecht, emphasized the importance of maintaining unity with the universal Church.

“We must walk a common path and not deviate from the world Church,” he said, reflecting Pope Francis’ 2019 letter to German Catholics.

“If unity in proclamation is lost, the Church loses its credibility,” Eijk told the magazine.

Offering a sobering perspective from a heavily secularized nation, the Dutch prelate drew parallels between the current Synod on Synodality in Rome and the Dutch Pastoral Council of the late 1960s in an interview with the German-language magazine Communio.

The 71-year-old archbishop warned that regional solutions to contentious issues could undermine the Church’s credibility.

“If unity in proclamation is lost, the Church loses its credibility,” he asserted, highlighting the Netherlands’ negative experience with ambiguity over the past 50 years.

He added: “People had the impression that the Church itself didn’t really know where it stood.”

Less traction for alleged reform ‘backlog’

Reflecting on the ongoing Synod on Synodality, Eijk said controversial topics, such as gender and women’s ordination, have gained less traction than some anticipated.

“The votes at last year’s assembly showed that the majority of participants were not enthusiastic about topics like gender or women’s ordination,” he remarked.

The Dutch prelate also challenged the idea that addressing a “reform backlog” would bring people back to the Church.

“You can learn from the Church in the Netherlands that this is a mistake,” Eijk stated. “Those who create confusion alienate people from the Church. You won’t bring anyone back this way.”

Instead, Eijk advocated for a Christ-centered approach and sound catechesis.

“In parishes where the faith is well proclaimed and the liturgy is celebrated with dignity, the churches are full,” he observed. “It’s about putting Christ at the center.”

Eijk also addressed lay participation in Church decision-making, recognizing its importance but acknowledging limits.

“Of course, people are involved in decisions,” he said, citing examples of parish-level input. However, he cautioned that this approach “doesn’t always work,” particularly with major structural changes.

Earlier, an influential canon lawyer speaking at an official Synod on Synodality event argued that the Catholic Church should be governed by synods that are balanced according to gender, among other factors, and empowered to make decisions, not merely recommendations.