Among the many popular and impious sayings about Rome, some dating back to early times, there is this little gem: Roma veduta, fede perduta. Basically, it means you risk losing your faith when you go to the Eternal City. It’s certainly a phrase that was bantered about during the 16th century when Martin Luther (an Read more
Lay people, especially women, will benefit from the Pope’s decision to expand those allowed to vote in the Synod on Synodality’s concluding discussions to include women, say leading Asian theologians. They agree the decision will compel Asia’s national churches to widen male and female lay Catholics’ participation in Church activities. The ruling means “the universal Read more
Pope Francis, April 17, approved a decision that lay women and lay men will vote at the upcoming Synod of Bishops. The Vatican has always said while input from many was essential to a synod, bishops were tasked with discerning and voting. The move to allow lay women and lay men to vote at the Read more
There are many ways to be Catholic. The comment comes from the West Australian archbishop and member of the preparatory committee for the General Assembly of the Synod, Timothy Costelloe. He says that ongoing consultation with Catholics worldwide needs to give more deference to local church authorities. Pope Francis’s global synod – which began in Read more
Better homilies. Catholics all over the world are begging for them. A leading Catholic theologian says the need is clear. It’s expressed in a strong “lament” emerging from the “listening phase” of the Church’s global synodal process. Professor Anna Rowlands from Durham University says a strong, universal theme emerging from the listening phase was concern Read more
Cardinal Walter Kasper says the German way forward on its “synodal path” has failed. Kasper, who is the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity’s President Emeritus, points to the Second Vatican Council’s path in synodal fellowship. The Church would have a future only if it continued on that path – a path that the German Read more
Pope Francis announced Sunday that the planned 2023 gathering of bishops has been extended and will now take place in two stages. There will be one session in October 2023 and a second in October 2024. Resistance from some Church hierarchy and accusations the synodal process hasn’t been representative of laity were behind the Pope’s Read more
The head of the Vatican synod office says both doctrinal concerns and pastoral considerations are important when it comes to hot-button issues. Questions about the reception of Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics and the blessing of same-sex couples are examples Cardinal Mario Grech (pictured) mentions. “These issues are not to be understood simply in Read more
Dioceses throughout Australia are progressing their Synod journey, with reports being prepared from the local consultation phase of the Global Synod on Synodality. Individuals and groups were invited to reflect on and respond to a series of questions across the Synod of Bishops’ three key themes: communion, participation and mission. The online portal for submissions Read more