Synod study groups – no Kiwis, few women, three Aussies

Monday, July 15th, 2024

Study groups at October’s second synod assembly in Rome will look closely at several hot-button issues identified at last year’s synod.

Women deacons, the ministry of bishops, and synodal formation for future priests are some of these issues.

Mainly male groups, none local

The Vatican says 15 study groups will work together to tease out the universal Church concerns.

A look at the individuals the Vatican has selected shows not one is a New Zealander.

Three of those invited to participate in the study groups are from Australia; one of the three is female.

They are Bishop Shane Mackinlay, theologian Fr Ormond Rush and social justice leader Professor Sandie Cornish.

The study groups’ male-female makeup seems curiously unbalanced, with most groups being at least three quarters men.

Study topics

At the Pope’s request the Roman Curia dicasteries have been collaborating with the Synod General Secretariat about the topics the study groups will consider.

They are working together to deepen theological, pastoral and canonical reflections on themes that emerged during the synodal assembly in October 2023.

Francis also asked for additional study groups to provide deeper theological analysis of “five perspectives” ahead of the synod.

Instrumentum Laboris, the guiding document for this October’s assembly, makes frequent reference to these study groups and their individual briefs.

New Zealand’s contribution

Instrumentum Laboris is based on 108 national summaries provided to the General Secretariat by bishops’ conferences around the world.

At the end of May the NZ Bishops Conference sent New Zealand’s contribution to Rome.

“Towards October 2024” includes Catholic voices from the length and breadth of Aotearoa New Zealand.

CathNews sought comment from Catholic Communications about the lack of New Zealand involvement in the study groups and a range of other issues, but the person we needed to speak to is on leave.

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