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