The Catholic Church must move towards collective decision-making, and “the time of lonely decisions in the Catholic Church is over” according to Synod advisor Thomas Söding.
In an interview with Vatican News on Saturday, Söding stressed the importance of unity. “For us, deliberation and decision-making belong together. For us, commonality in decision-making is also part of this.”
Söding’s remarks come as the Synod on Synodality in Rome continues. It is highlighting the Church’s focus on greater participation in decision-making processes.
Söding, Vice President of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), explained that the Church’s decision-making structure is evolving to reflect a more collaborative approach.
“Participation, joint consultation, joint decision-making ‘in Catholic style’ – that is the tradition that we now want to continue” said the theology professor.
He noted that this aligns with efforts in Germany’s Synodal Way, where deliberation and decision-making are closely intertwined. While acknowledging the distinct roles of bishops, priests and the laity, Söding underscored the need for commonality in reaching decisions.
The Catholic Church wants to stay together. “But we also need greater sovereignty to play on the respective local contexts so that unity and diversity can be brought into a good balance in a completely new way” Söding stressed.
Localised regulations warning
Söding went on to warn against creating a fragmented Church through localised regulations. “The Vatican should not use the synod to develop as many individual regulations as possible for as many individual countries as possible” he stated.
Pope Francis’ decision to invite bishops, other men and women to the Synod of Bishops changed the atmosphere, said Söding. “New voices are being heard. People talk to each other differently, even when speaking as bishops.”
Söding described the fact that people from the southern hemisphere also have their say at the Synod on Synodality as “a great asset for the Catholic Church, also in Europe”.
The ongoing Synod discussions in Rome are focused on “Ways”, part of the Instrumentum laboris document. It looks at the future organisation of decision-making in the Church.
Söding concluded by stating that Germany and Europe, more broadly, support these developments in the global Church.
Sources