Pope Francis said Germany's progressive "Synodal Path", a movement, which aims to give lay members a say in the running of the Catholic Church, lacks the authority to instruct bishops on doctrine or morality, and warned of the dangers of splitting the Church.
"It should not be allowed for dioceses to introduce new offices or doctrines that take precedence over agreements of the Universal Church, which would harm the Church community and pose a threat to Church unity," Francis said in a statement issued by the Vatican.
(Reporting by Phil Pulella in Rome, writing by Thomas Escritt, editing by Mark Heinrich)
