I actually am aware of the history with the German bishops but I appreciate you explaining it politely.

As you stated, this has been going on for several years now and the tension between the German bishops and the Vatican continues. The Pope isn’t ignoring it, but I would argue that 3 years is long enough for pastoral counseling to get them back in line. This isn’t a handful of rogue priests, this is a large organization of priests, bishops (including the president of the German bishops’ conference) and cardinals. Pope Francis could put a stop to it tomorrow, or in 2021, IF he wanted to.

Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck, for example, said in 2021 “that priests in his diocese would not have to expect any consequences if they oppose the prohibition of the blessing of homosexual connections. He will not "suspend a priest of his diocese or put other church sentences on him" if he blesses a homosexual relationship.” LINK

Yet in 2023, Overbeck was STILL a bishop and STILL defying Vatican orders.

quote:
Overbeck also acknowledged that a “synodal committee” will begin work in Germany in November with the aim of establishing a permanent synodal council made up of bishops and laity to govern the Catholic Church in Germany. The Vatican has explicitly forbidden the establishment of this council as inconsistent with the Church’s ecclesiology, and four out of Germany’s 27 ordinaries voted in June to block funding for the synodal committee from a common fund.

LINK

I understand the idea of correcting them while keeping them in the fold, but it’s not working - they continue to blatantly ignore those corrections. Francis doesn’t have to excommunicate him but WHY is this guy still a bishop when he’s thumbing his nose at church hierarchy and clearly breaking his vow of obedience? He could be removed from public ministry, forbidden from speaking to the media, or any other of a variety of Church discipline options.

The fact that Francis hasn’t stopped it, means he doesn’t really want to.