Posts Tagged ‘Church governance’

Synodality and the Church’s antiquated governing structure

Monday, October 2nd, 2023

The big day has finally arrived. Pope Francis on Wednesday will open the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The October 4-29 gathering inside the Vatican is just the first of two sessions of what is commonly called the “Synod on Synodality”. It will be followed up by another session in October Read more

What is the lay governance debate all about?

Monday, September 5th, 2022

While last week’s meeting of the College of Cardinals failed to produce the kind of “big news” event some had predicted, the consistory did ask the cardinals to reflect upon Pope Francis’ recent reform of the Roman Curia. But while the wild rumour that Francis was mulling the appointment of a coadjutor vice-pope didn’t pan Read more

Australia’s bishops consider radical change of governance report

Monday, June 8th, 2020

Australia’s bishops and religious are considering recommendations for changing the governance of the Church. If implemented, the wide-ranging recommendations would reshape the administrative and financial control of dioceses and parishes. These controls would be reallocated between the clergy and laypeople, with an increased role for women. Last month Australia’s bishops considered the report, “The Light Read more

C9 cardinals discuss bishop appointment process

Friday, April 15th, 2016

The council of cardinals advising the Pope on Church governance have discussed the way bishops are chosen for dioceses around the world. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ, said the cardinals’ council reflected on what criteria is currently used to select prelates “in the light of their pastoral identity and mission”. The cardinals have also Read more

Pope wants bishop selection process reviewed

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015

Pope Francis wants the process for way the Church identifies and appoints bishops reviewed. The Pope has asked his so-called C9 international council of cardinals to do this. He wants them to look particularly at the qualities needed in a bishop today. The council met with the Pope from September 14-16. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Read more

Where does the buck stop?

Friday, April 4th, 2014
back to the future

You could be forgiven for not knowing where the buck stops in the Catholic Church these days. In any society, organization or Church community, it is important to know who is ultimately responsible in decision making; otherwise, chaos or worse would prevail. In an unprecedented (for a cardinal) cross examination in court last week, Cardinal Read more

Archbishop urges major reforms in Church governance

Tuesday, March 12th, 2013

As cardinals prepare to elect a new pope, Emeritus Archbishop John Quinn of San Francisco has urged major reforms in Church governance, including how the papacy is exercised. Calling for major decentralisation of Vatican and papal authority, he said this could be achieved through the creation of regional bishops’ conferences and synods of bishops with Read more