Synod is not a parliament

Friday, December 5th, 2014

It is important to understand that the Synod is not a parliament according to Pope Francis.

Francis made the comments during a press conference to journalists during a 46 minute in-flight journey on the way home from a three day trip to Turkey.

“The Synod is a path, it is a journey, firstly.

“Secondly the synod is not a Parliament. It’s a protected space in which the Holy Spirit may speak,” the pontiff said when asked about the phrasing of the synod’s controversial mid-term report regarding homosexuals.

Covering off the variety of opinion expressed in the media, Francis said differing opinions meant there were contrasting things said.

However, he observed, everything was summed up in the midterm report.

“The substantial part remains but everything had to be reduced. Everything. Everything. Everything. And what remained of the substantial part was what became the final relatio.

“But it isn’t over,” he said, reminding journalists that the final document of the 2014 is the starting point for the 2015 synod.

“It’s (the synod) a path…. (and) you can’t take (the) opinion of one person or draft. The Synod has to be seen in its totality,” he explained.

“Also, I don’t agree – and this is a personal opinion which I don’t want to impose – but I don’t agree with saying that ‘Today, this Father said this,’ or ‘Today, this Father said this…if someone wants to say something, let them say what was said but not who said it. Why? Because, I repeat, the synod is not a parliament, it’s a protected ecclesial space.”

He concluded by saying the Holy Spirit works through the group.

Sources