Sacred Heart of Mary Sister Maureen Kelleher told the National Catholic Reporter that the ordained men at the synod have a distinct culture and a common background.

Sr Kelleher is an auditor at the synod; she is one of 32 women serving at the synod in non-voting roles.

Speaking of the atmosphere at the synod, she said: "These men have all pretty much studied together through formation and onward - [and] are very steeped in the magisterium and the canons and the different papal documents that have come out and have formed them."

The synod small group of which Sr Kelleher is a member is being co-led by Canadian Cardinal Thomas Collins.

US prelates Archbishop Charles Chaput, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and Archbishop Jose Gomez are also members of the group.

Sr Kelleher said she has faced some difficulty in the group.

While she said she feels free to talk to any of the members in a friendly manner during coffee breaks, there are also "times that I have felt the condescension so heavy, you could cut it with a knife".

"I see a high level of non-acceptance of us as holding up half the sky," she said, referring to some bishops' difficulty in working with women.

"It's very clear that I'm not speaking with one iota of formation on some of the teachings that have formed these men in the seminary," said Sr Kelleher.

"Some of it is, 'Oh, here comes the bleeding heart. Well, she's a woman what else would you expect?', kind of thing."

Sr Kelleher said she has seen prelates struggling to be as pastorally sensitive as possible while being faithful to what they believe.

Sr Kelleher said she has been watching a faith community in a "knot" at the synod.

"I don't know what's going to happen when the Pope gets this product," she said, referring to the final document the synod is expected to write and then give to Pope Francis.

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: Naples News

The 13 small groups that had been meeting last week released their reports on Friday.

The four English-speaking groups are chaired by Australian Cardinal George Pell, British Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Irish Archbishop Eamon Martin, and Canadian Cardinal Thomas Collins.

Each of the English-speaking groups expressed confusion about not knowing exactly what their work will be used for.

They are in the dark as to whether they are meant to create a document for public distribution or just to give advice to Pope Francis.

Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher wrote that "so far there's been more muddle than method".

But he added "that may in time yield another kind of focus and even fruit".

Philippines Cardinal Luis AntionioTagle said a new method of discussion was being tried at this synod, and that "definitely it has caused . . . a bit of confusion".

"But it's good to be confused once in a while," said the cardinal, laughing.

"If things are always clear, then we might not be in real life anymore."

During the first week of synod discussions, the small groups were focussing on the first of three parts of the synod's working document.

Among the English circles, the most negative take on the working document came from Cardinal Collins' group.

That group said that in the working document they "found much of the text to be flawed or inadequate, especially in its theology, clarity, trust in the power of grace, its use of Scripture and its tendency to see the world through overwhelmingly Western eyes".

The group also wrote that the synod might consider adopting a certain style of St Paul, whom they said "would often write a prologue of praise to people whose sins he would then critique".

"This was a common style in his epistles, and effective," they stated.

New Zealand's Dr John Kleinsman blogged that the "challenge going forward for all synod participants, as I see it, is to remember that what is in the working document reflects the gathered feedback of the People of God and to be faithful to that content".

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• Vatican Radio (English language small group reports)
• Sydney Archdiocese
• NZCBC
• Image: Vatican Radio