Winston Churchill famously said, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” If the Catholic Church forgets history, it is simply doomed. Pope Francis recently issued a letter “On the renewal of the study of the history of the Church.” No matter: Francis himself seems to have forgotten the history of women ordained as Read more
The Synod’s final document has been approved and immediately enacted by Pope Francis. Unlike previous synods, there will be no post-synodal letter. This decision clearly demonstrates the Pope’s vision of how consultation (decision-making) and actual decision-making should interact. The process has emphasised unity and harmony, though the Pope accepts that some topics saw considerable dissent. Read more
Dr Mary McAleese has criticised the final document of the Catholic Church’s Synod on Synodality, saying there is “nothing” in it that could not have been written “in a half day” by Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith “before the synodal circus started”. In a statement expressing frustration at the 52-page report which was Read more
Cardinal Walter Kasper, a conservative voice in the Vatican – and often called ‘the pope’s theologian’ – has publicly supported the inclusion of women deacons in the Catholic Church. Speaking to the German catholic journal Communio, Kasper noted that after considerable thought, he believes it “theologically possible and pastorally sensible” for women to be admitted Read more
At the recent Synod on Synodality, African bishops were instrumental in blocking moves to grant greater doctrinal autonomy to national episcopal conferences. Archbishop Andrew Nkea (pictured) of Bamenda, Cameroon, confirmed the African delegation’s satisfaction with the synod’s final report, which Pope Francis adopted. African bishops sought to prevent any shift in doctrinal authority to local Read more
Following the World Synod, Pope Francis urged Catholics to take an active, hands-on role in addressing the pressing challenges of today’s world. “Faced with the questions of today’s women and men, the challenges of our time, the urgency of evangelisation and the many wounds that afflict humanity, we cannot sit still” the pope stated. Francis Read more
Although Pope Francis took it off the agenda, the appointment of bishops is still being discussed privately by members of the synod. The Pope took this and a number of issues off the agenda because he wanted the synod to focus on synodality and not be distracted by controversial and complicated issues. Discussions about bishops Read more
As the second session of the Synod begins, it’s striking how little attention is given to the issue of women—not only within the Synod itself but also in church policy and in the behavior of women themselves. The exclusion of women from synodal debate is a papal decision, reaffirming their exclusion from “holy orders,” meaning Read more
Perhaps it is in the very nature of the Synod on Synodality to take steps back after having taken several steps forward. But the tone of the opening days of the synod’s final general assembly makes it apparent that, for the moment, there is no talk of revolution within the Church. That tone was set Read more
Pope Francis has called for a re-examination of the role of bishops in the Catholic Church, emphasising the need for greater collaboration with laypeople. Addressing over 400 delegates at the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, Francis noted that including laymen, laywomen, priests and religious as synod delegates reflects a shift towards greater participation in decision-making. Francis Read more