From one synod session to another, where do we stand? “The Holy People of God has been set in motion for mission thanks to the synodal experience,” declared Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich S.J., General Rapporteur of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Invited to exchange ideas using the method of spiritual conversations, Read more
An online poll on synodality attracted thousands of negative responses when it appeared on various social media platforms last week. Those engaging with the survey were asked: “Do you believe that synodality as a path of conversion and reform can enhance the mission and participation of all the baptised?” The users were asked to provide Read more
I confess I fell asleep several times reading the new working document for the Synod on Synodality, which will have its second session this October. The agenda The working document, or Instrumentum Laboris as it is officially known, sets the agenda for the next iteration of the synod. The first convening occurred last October after Read more
When Pope Francis called for a worldwide consultation of lay Catholics about their concerns as part of the Synod on Synodality, U.S. bishops responded less than enthusiastically. Instead, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops put its time, effort and money into a national programme called the Eucharistic Revival. Eucharistic Revival It was not impossible to Read more
The final round of the World Synod will convene in Rome in October this year. Bishops, priests, and laypeople will vote on new consultation and decision-making processes in the Catholic Church. The working paper, Instrumentum Laboris, is the crucial guideline for this process and is expected to be available soon. The Synod Secretariat announced at Read more
The Vatican press office says a document it is releasing about the papacy could have far-reaching consequences for relations between Christian churches. They say the hot-off-the-press document will be released sometime today, New Zealand time. The document Entitled “The Bishop of Rome – Primacy and Synodality in Ecumenical Discussions and Responses to the Encyclical Ut Read more
Dear Brother Priests, The International Meeting “Parish Priests for the Synod”, and the dialogue with all of you who have taken part, provide me with the opportunity to pray for the parish priests the world over. To all of you, I address these words with great affection. It is so obvious as to sound almost Read more
Grassroots synodality needs priests to inform it. Pope Francis knows this. He wants more synodality in the universal church. He wants clericalism replaced with pastoral care and equality, a katholisch.de article says. That has led the Pope to rethink his ways too. Francis has decided not to admonish or exhort priests any more. Those aren’t Read more
In a recent address to members of the International Network for Societies for Catholic Theology (INSeCT), Pope Francis stressed the necessity for theologians to engage with the contemporary world and the importance of a ‘theology of love’ and wisdom. In his prepared text, Pope Francis told group members that theology is “a significant and necessary Read more
Nearly 300 parish priests from around the world recently concluded a multi-day meeting near Rome where they discussed how to bring the Vatican’s message of synodality to their local communities. The gathering, which included an audience with Pope Francis, focused on fostering open dialogue and empowering individuals to take responsibility for their parishes and communities. Read more