The German Bishops' Conference selected him as a delegate to the Synod on the Family, which met in Rome in October 2015. In February 2015, discussing the issues facing the synod, he said the church needed a new approach to pastoral care of homosexuals, "a different language", and that to "portray homosexuality as a sin is hurtful". He added: "I know gay couples who value reliability and commitment and live these in an exemplary manner." As the Synod approached, he expressed concern that its focus was shifting from the pastoral concerns it was meant to address to "mega issues such as the understanding of the Eucharist, the issue of church authority and its limits and the question of the definition of marriage". He said "It would have been better to limit the number of topics up for discussion" and "We must not give the impression that the synod spent most of its time quarreling about the conditions for admission to the sacraments." At the synod, the German language discussion group elected him their relator (secretary).