The second edition of the Catholic Church’s Synod on Synodality sees 368 representatives from across the world converging in Rome this month. The three-year global endeavour, centered on pivotal topics such as LGBT+ acceptance, married clergy, and the ordination of women, has garnered widespread international interest. This suggests a significant shift in the Catholic Church’s approach, characterised by greater openness to varied real-life experiences.
The core objective of this second gathering is well-defined: to explore the concept of being a mission-driven synodal church. Central to this exploration is Pope Francis’s envisaging of the church as an inclusive sanctuary for all. Echoed in his heartfelt “todos, todos, todos” (everyone, everyone, everyone) declaration, delivered to a youthful congregation of over 1.5 million in Lisbon during last year’s World Youth Day. This enunciation not only signals a revived missionary consciousness within the church’s self-identity but also a fresh willingness to embrace various perspectives.
Breaking away from the narrow image of the church as a body where power lies mainly in the clergy, Synodality encourages an alternate view of the church as a community. Every baptised individual, whether lay, religious or ordained, is actively engaged in forwarding its mission. Synodality, which essentially means walking alongside each other, is about breathings life into this envisioned reality.
With an eye on fostering missionary expansion to societal fringes, especially among those who feel ostracised or side-lined, the church aims to bridge differences between people, cultures and nations – a universal necessity.
The Working Document (Instrumentum Laboris) for this session postulates key queries: In keeping with our baptismal responsibilities, how can we all share co-responsibility? What alterations to church structures are necessary to aid full participation where every individual can contribute their unique strengths for the greater good of all? Lastly, how can we exercise the power and authority within the church in ways that serve?
The journey towards this assembly has been a product of extensive worldwide discussions and dialogues. For example, Ireland’s National Synthesis, submitted to Rome in 2022, embodied the sentiments of 26 dioceses, various religious assemblies, and a plethora of lay movements, characterised by a readiness to hear.
Certain challenges were identified in terms of religious propagation, involving the necessity for healing and hope, particularly for victims of church personnel and institutional abuse. There was also a cry for more inclusivity in carrying out the church’s mission (for complete content, refer to synod.ie).
The universal Synodal Assembly’s session of the previous year was a moment to comprehend everything reported globally from the dialogues. Even though some of the more contentious topics identified last year are absent from this year’s agenda, they haven’t been put aside. Ten committees have been formed to delve more deeply into these matters.
Notable theologian Dr Miriam Wijlens sees the synodal path as a “learning by doing” method that values experience. Nevertheless, it poses its unique set of challenges. As an attendee at a regional meeting in Ireland expressed it, “Now the responsibility is seemingly being handed to us laypeople. However, after eras of clerical dominance, it feels as though we’re being tossed something we’re not ready for.”
Expectations of drastic structural change may need reassessment. However, the Spirit is always ripe with surprises. This feeling underlines the complexity of transitioning from a deeply-rooted clerical system to a more collective and collaborative one. In his inaugural address at this year’s assembly, Pope Francis stressed that the aim isn’t to replace one with the other. Instead, lay people, men and women in religious communities and movements, and clergy are being urged to collaborate.
The “Dialogue in the Spirit” methodology, initiated during the last year’s session, fosters profound listening and respectful exchange, guaranteeing that all voices are represented. It epitomises a readiness to hear. The purpose of this methodology is to cultivate a more inclusive and collaborative decision-making process, mirroring the diversity of the church congregation.
Synodal reform isn’t solely about the internal restructuring of the church – it isn’t meant as a self-absorbed endeavour. It’s about becoming a more competent envoy of the Gospel in an acceleratingly changing world, one dealing with crises of identity and globalisation, technical progress, political turnovers and uncertainties of the future.
Promoting a greater understanding and closeness amongst people, cultures, and nations is a requisite worldwide. Thomas Halik, a well-known Theologian from Prague, posits that the synodal process can cultivate “the search for enhanced quality of relationships” in a globally perceived fragmented and alienated setting.
The synodal process, a novel method of operating the church, is not a quick fix but a journey. As the representatives set off for the second meeting of the Synodal Assembly in Rome, it is indispensable to moderate unrealistic anticipations of dramatic institutional transformations. However, it’s important to remember that the Spirit is consistently the God of unexpected revelations.
The late Cardinal Martini’s words provide an understanding: “Christianity is only in the initial phase.” Characterised by its intricacies and obstacles, the synodal process signifies a beginning of a new stage in the journey, one that is rooted in unity, involvement, and purpose. These are the keywords that characterised the recent years of global consultations and dialogues.
Dr Brendan Leahy, the Bishop of Limerick, represents the Irish Catholic Bishops along with Alan McGuckian SJ, the Bishop of Down and Connor, at the Synod on Synodality held in Rome.