In my last blog, I reported on the enthusiasm that filled me and many other synod participants during the retreat days.
The enthusiasm gave way to a certain disillusionment after two more days. That was to be expected.
But the fact that it would happen so quickly and that this “sobering up process” even began with disillusionment and anger surprised even me, the “hopeless” optimist.
This surprise began with the presentation of the working groups’ interim reports. I was very curious and was really looking forward to it. But what was then “delivered” was, to put it mildly, disappointing!
Interim results? Rather disappointing
Beautiful little films with wonderful landscapes, pretty flowers, smiling faces, praying people, all done very professionally, combined with an introduction of the employees of the respective group are nice, but they are not reports, not even interim reports.
But there are still reporters. There’s bound to be something more, I thought. But what came next was not what I had expected.
One of the rapporteurs announced that the work of his group was being handled directly with a Roman dicastery, bypassing the synod.
This does not necessarily seem satisfactory to someone who is supposed to “report”.
Some reports by other reporters have also led me to suspect that no interim status could be communicated here because many groups have not even started their work properly.
That would be regrettable, but things can still improve.
But when the head of the dicastery responsible for the question of the diaconate of women finally announced that the Holy Father had actually already made it clear that there would be no decision on this in the foreseeable future, and that an official document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith could even be expected on this question soon, I somehow felt like a watered poodle.
Because then there would be no need for a working group on this topic.
As a participant in an assembly that is supposed to realise the principle of synodality and has the task of implementing synodality more deeply in all areas of church life, I was expecting a different procedure here.
And I admit: I was pretty miffed – both in terms of content and the way the synodal assembly was handled.
At least I found it comforting that I was not alone in feeling this way. I was able to experience this the next day, when the so-called “Circoli Minori” gathered at the round tables for their first working meetings, in some of the conversations during the breaks.
Debate is welcomed by all
It was emphasised everywhere that the discussion about the indispensable role of women in the church must be continued intensively.
And I have the impression that many in the auditorium realise that establishing the status quo exposes us to the accusation of a male-centric and reductionist anthropology.
That is why even those who have strong reservations about women’s participation in the ordained ministry or are completely opposed to it are nevertheless in favour of a serious and theologically sound debate on this issue. Read more
- Father Thomas Schwartz is Chief Executive of the Eastern European aid organisation Renovabis and a participant in the Synod on Synodality in Rome. He regularly writes about his experiences and impressions in his blog