By CNA Staff
CNA Newsroom, Oct 17, 2024 / 03:20 am
The Catholic Church's final session of the multiyear Synod on Synodality is in its third week. Have you adopted a synod participant yet?
Here's what you should know
Decoding the Synod on Synodality: CNA's essential terminology guide
Here's what is new at the Synod on Synodality Part 2
The story so far
Oct. 16: Synod proposal to 'decentralize' doctrinal authority met with major pushback
Decentralizing doctrinal authority, or deciding certain doctrinal questions at local levels rather than universally, has been seen as a pivotal step for those aiming to make dramatic changes to Catholic teaching, writes Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register.
In the most dramatic day yet of the Synod on Synodality, delegates gave "tremendous pushback" against a proposal to give bishops conferenences doctrinal authority. Organizers even had to have a theologian give an impromptu speech to assuage concerns.https://t.co/DgQjg7NU0c
- Jonathan Liedl (@JLLiedl) October 16, 2024Oct. 16: Dutch cardinal advocates Christ-centered reform over controversial issues
A Dutch cardinal cautions against misguided reform efforts within the Catholic Church, warning that regional solutions to contentious issues could undermine the Church's credibility.
Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, archbishop of Utrecht, emphasizes the importance of maintaining unity with the universal Church: "We must walk a common path and not deviate from the world Church," he said, reflecting Pope Francis' 2019 letter to German Catholics. "If unity in proclamation is lost, the Church loses its credibility," Eijk says.
Oct. 16: Australian archbishop: Synod on Synodality cannot 'reinvent the Catholic faith'
We cannot "reinvent the Catholic faith" or "teach a different Catholicism in different countries," Australian Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney and a delegate at the Synod on Synodality tells EWTN News.
Should bishops' conferences "have the authority to teach a different Catholicism in different countries or to decide a different liturgy in different countries or different Mass for different countries? Do they bring their own local culture to questions in the area of morals, for instance?" Fisher says in his interview with "EWTN News Nightly" Associate Producer Bénédicte Cedergren.
Oct 15: Warning against fatigue from Church leader at Synod on Synodality
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich asks participants to maintain energy levels at the gathering, reports EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser for "EWTN News Nightly," as participants delve into the theme of "places," exploring relationships between cultures and diverse Church needs worldwide.
(Story continues below)
Meanwhile, Bishop Robert Barron, in an exclusive interview with EWTN's Colm Flynn, defined synodality as encompassing wider consultation, greater accountability, and transparency.
The synod's universal nature is highlighted by the presence of Eastern Catholic Churches, with Archbishop Fülöp Kocsis sharing insights on the richness of diverse experiences. Jonathan Liedl, senior editor for the National Catholic Register, points to a significant discussion on decentralization: The proposal under consideration could potentially grant national bishops' conferences more authority in doctrinal decision-making, marking a potential shift in the Church's governance structure.
Oct. 15: How 'special interest advocacy' works at the Synod on Synodality
Don't be surprised to see a fresh round of news stories about support for ordaining women at the Synod on Synodality. It's a reasonable expectation - writes Jonathan Liedl in his analysis for the National Catholic Register - given an advocacy group blasted out an email, obtained by the Register, inviting synod delegates to join them at an event promoting the cause.
In so doing, they are following a familiar script that's being used to influence the Synod on Synodality - or at least perceptions of it, he explains.
Oct. 15: 'Synodality Tent': A place to reflect on the presence of Latin America in the Church
"The Synodality Tent" is the title of an initiative promoted by the Amerindia Network and the Latin American Observatory on Synodality whose objective is to reflect on the presence of Latin America in the Catholic Church as well as to continue promoting the synodal process.
This place for encounter and dialogue, which also aims to offer an experience of faith, opened in Rome in the context of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, writes Almudena Martínez-Bordiú.
Oct. 12: Catholics invited to 'adopt' Synod on Synodality members
Prayer groups are sponsoring an online platform through which you can "adopt" a Synod on Synodality member to pray for during the month of October.
After submitting an email address on the webpage oremusprosynodo.org, the name of one of the 368 voting members of the 2024 meeting of the Synod on Synodality appears with the exhortation to pray for them. Hannah Brockhaus has more.
Should the Church be governed by gender-balanced synods?
At a theological forum held at the Jesuits' world headquarters in Rome this week, an influential canon lawyer argues that the Catholic Church should be governed by synods balanced according to gender, among other factors, and empowered to make decisions, not merely recommendations. Jonathan Liedl reports for the National Catholic Register.
At an official Synod on Synodality event earlier this week, an Italian canonist who's previously presented before Pope Francis's Council of Cardinals put forth a vision for a Church governed by decision-making, gender-balanced synods.https://t.co/yBAAackM6z
- Jonathan Liedl (@JLLiedl) October 13, 2024Oct. 11: Pope Francis, synod pray where first Christian martyrs of Rome were killed
Pope Francis and Synod on Synodality participants pray together at the site of the first Christian martyrdoms in Rome on Friday evening.
As attendees hold candles with drip protectors imprinted with an image of the 15th-century painting "Mater Ecclesiae" ("Mother of the Church"), Pope Francis leads those present in praying the Our Father but does not give the meditation prepared for the event, Hannah Brockhaus reports.
Pope Francis and Synod on Synodality participants, including non-Catholic delegates, prayed together Friday evening at the site of the first Christian martyrdoms in Rome. #Synod2024 #SynodOnSynodality #WalkingTogether https://t.co/4xQJiTtpWd
- Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) October 11, 2024Oct. 11: What happens when a Chinese bishop takes the floor for the first time at the synod?
Synod sources tell EWTN News that Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang of the Diocese of Hangzhou spoke to synod participants about the history of Chinese Catholicism, China's agreement with the Vatican on the appointment of bishops, and cultural exchange. Andrea Gagliarducci has more.
Oct. 10: Pope Francis' Brazilian pick for cardinal calls for ordaining married priests
Archbishop Jaime Spengler, OFM, at a briefing for the Synod on Synodality confirms plans for a trial run of an Amazonian rite of the Mass and urges "openness" to the idea of married priests to serve certain communities.
The 64-year-old prelate, a descendant of German immigrants, is a prominent figure in the Church in his home country and throughout South America, heading both the Catholic bishops' conference of Brazil and the Latin American bishops' conference (CELAM), writes Hannah Brockhaus.
Soon-to-be cardinal Brazilian Archbishop Jaime Spengler, OFM, confirmed plans for a trial run of an Amazonian rite of the Mass and urged "openness" to the idea of married priests to serve certain communities facing a shortage of priests. https://t.co/6KzNu1c8EF
- Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) October 10, 2024Oct. 10: Why is 'women's ordination' still dominating media coverage of the synod?
News media has a built-in tendency to downplay nuance and highlight novelty, and this is arguably accentuated at the Synod on Synodality, writes Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register. Two synod members say synod communications head Paolo Ruffini overstated the strength of calls for "women's ordination." Read the full analysis here.
Oct. 10: Non-Catholic delegates put Christian unity in focus at Synod on Synodality
Three fraternal delegates - non-Catholic representatives of Christian churches participating in this year's session of the Synod on Synodality - take center stage at Thursday's Synod on Synodality press briefing held at the Vatican's Holy See Press Office.
Speaking about "the great importance of relationality" among Christian churches, Anglican Bishop Martin Warner of Chichester - co-chair of the English-Welsh Anglican-Roman Catholic Committee - speaks about the "sense of family" that has developed between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, particularly during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Kristina Millare reports.
Oct. 9: Synod debates on bishops, laypeople opened to public at theology forums
Synod on Synodality events open to the public give a glimpse Wednesday evening into the private debates happening among delegates and theological experts on the issues of a bishop's authority and his relationship to the laity in light of synodality.
Thomas Söding, vice president of the lay organization promoting the German Synodal Way, argued that bishops shouldn't control or dictate discipleship but should encourage diverse expressions of faith.
Italian canonist Donata Horak criticized the Roman Catholic Church's current structure as "monarchical" and out of step with democratic sensibilities. She suggested that the Latin Church adopt deliberative synods, as seen in Eastern Catholic churches, although she did not note that these do not allow lay voting, notes Hannah Brockhaus.
Oct. 9: Synod delegates look to St. John Henry Newman as theological guide
Australian Bishop Anthony Randazzo, a synod delegate and president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Oceania, says St. John Henry Newman famously showed "that the Church would look foolish without the laity" and should help ease fears that collaboration with the laity is heterodoxical.
"I think that this way of thinking should liberate us in the Church from believing that any one group or vocation alone drives the bus," the bishop of the Diocese of Broken Bay, Australia, emphasizes. Randazzo made a powerful statement against pushes for so-called "women's ordination," explains Jonathan Liedl for the National Catholic Register.
Synod Delegates Look to St. John Henry Newman as Theological Guide
- National Catholic Register (@NCRegister) October 10, 2024
'At heart, Newman was a disciple ...'https://t.co/3ucejv7wC5Oct.
Oct. 8: Catholic bishops from mainland China and Taiwan in dialogue at Synod on Synodality
In an interview with CNA, the first Indigenous bishop of Taiwan says he met with the two bishops from mainland China taking part in the synod and plans to meet with them again. "It's very important to dialogue with them, to respect each other. I think it's good ... not only for the Chinese, for the whole Church," Bishop Norbert Pu of Taiwan tells Courtney Mares.
Oct. 8: Who is in charge of drafting the final document of the Synod of Synodality?
Paolo Ruffini, the synod's communications head, announces the 14 members of the Final Document Commission. The seven continental delegates are:
Catherine Clifford, a theologian from St. Paul University in Ottawa, for North America
Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, for Africa
Father Clarence Davedassan of Malaysia is the pick from Asia
Bishop Shane Mackinlay of Sandhurst, Australia, for Oceania
Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio of Bogotá, Colombia, for Central and South America
Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, France, for Europe
Bishop Mounir Khairallah, a Maronite prelate, for the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Middle East
The other members include three direct picks from Pope Francis and four automatic appointments, writes Jonathan Liedl.
Oct. 8: Synod participants donate for Gaza parish
In a video played for journalists at the Holy See Press Office on Oct. 8, Gaza parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli thanks synod participants for both prayers and financial help, because in Gaza, "everyone is in need of everything."
The pope's charity office announces that synod participants donated 32,000 euros (about $35,000) for the Catholic parish in Gaza from synod participants on Oct. 7, the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.
The synod donations were combined with another 30,000 euros (about $33,000) from Pope Francis' charity coffers and sent to Holy Family Parish, the only Roman Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip, which is sheltering hundreds of Palestinian Catholics.
Oct. 7: Pope invites prayer for the Middle East as participants from that region begin week 2 of the synod
Since the beginning of the Synod on Synodality, synod delegates and participants have echoed Pope Francis' pleas for prayers and solidarity with communities across the war-ravaged region. As the second week of the synod gets underway, on the World Day of Prayer and Fasting held on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Pope Francis addressed Catholics in the Middle East on the one-year anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel. Kristina Millare has more.
Oct. 7: Women deacons off the table? Synod delegate claims 'some women sense a call to priesthood'
While the topic of "women deacons" is not formally up for discussion at the Synod on Synodality assembly this month, the official Vatican press conference for the synod showcases a female delegate who spoke about women experiencing "a call to priesthood," Courtney Mares reports.
Oct. 6: Pope Francis and synod participants pray rosary for peace
Invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary for peace in the world amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine, Pope Francis presides over a rosary prayer in Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major on Sunday evening, Courtney Mares reports.
Oct. 5: A call for peace and an announcement of dialogue
A Lebanese bishop makes an impassioned plea for peace and forgiveness at the Synod on Synodality's daily press briefing on Saturday as the assembly's first week draws to a close.
Bishop Mounir Khairallah of Batroun shares his personal experience of violence and forgiveness, recounting how his parents were murdered when he was just 5 years old.
Meanwhile, a dialogue with study groups is announced for Oct. 18 after synod delegates vote for more interaction with the groups established by Pope Francis.
At #SynodOnSynodality briefing, Lebanese Bishop Khairallah shares personal story of forgiveness, urges end to violence: 'Let us build peace.' #Lebanon #Synod24 #WalkingTogether https://t.co/slfKpXNNrG
- Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) October 5, 2024Oct. 4: What's behind the viral photo of Pope Francis venerating a chair?
Pope Francis sits before the historic relic of St. Peter's chair in the Ottoboni sacristy of St. Peter's Basilica after celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Square ahead of the second session of the Synod on Synodality. What is behind this viral image? Madalaine Elhabbal explains.
CNA explains what was behind the viral photo of Pope Francis sitting before an ancient wooden chair during the first day of the Synod on Synodality earlier this week. #synod2024 #synodonsynodality #WalkingTogether https://t.co/fEUMIGjd8q
- Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) October 4, 2024Oct. 4: Participants put spotlight on world's poor
Closing the first week of meetings, participants from different continents put a spotlight on the plight of the world's poor and vulnerable on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Kristina Millare reports.
The first week at the Synod on Synodality - revolution or much ado about nothing?
Vaticanist Andrea Gagliarducci analyzes the first days of the gathering in Rome. He writes: "It seems clear that while the delegates may discuss many things over the next three weeks, nothing will be decided. There will be no doctrinal changes. No diminution of the role of the bishop. No rush to resolve the question of opening the diaconate to women."
Oct. 3: Many voices to be heard
Cardinal Mario Grech, general secretary of the synod, says at a press conference that "every believer, man or woman, and every group, association, movement, or community will be able to participate with their own contribution" via the synod's 10 study groups.
Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, tells journalists the work of participants in the second session of the Synod on Synodality is to find the "cohesive voice" that expresses the life of the Church.
Oct. 3: Cardinal Fernández rules out women deacons
Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, on Oct. 3 shuts down speculation regarding further theological study into the possibility of women being ordained as deacons. Father Giacomo Costa, special secretary of the synod, says this month's discussions held in the Vatican should serve as "laboratories of synodal life," Kristina Millare reports.
Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández shut down speculation regarding the possibility of women being ordained as deacons before the second day of Synod on Synodality meetings got underway. #synod2024 #synodonsynodality #WalkingTogether https://t.co/1HeaUgPjcf
- Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) October 3, 2024Oct. 3: Solving sexuality questions with 'contextual fidelity'?
A study group appointed by Pope Francis to explore a synodal approach to the Church's most debated issues - including sexual morality and life matters - proposes "contextual fidelity" and a "new paradigm" that downplays long-standing Church teaching, Jonathan Liedl notes.
Oct. 2: Pope Francis calls for new ways for bishops to be 'synodal'
At the first meeting of the full assembly of the Synod on Synodality on Wednesday, Pope Francis says a bishop's ministry should include cooperation with laypeople and that the synod will need to identify "differing forms" of the exercise of this ministry.
At the first meeting of the Synod on Synodality on Wednesday, Pope Francis said a bishop's ministry should include cooperation with laypeople. #Synod2024 #synodonsynodality #WalkingTogether https://t.co/jQZErFlnCn
- Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) October 2, 2024Oct. 2: Pope Francis opens synod, warns against personal 'agendas'
Pope Francis opens the second and final session of the Synod on Synodality, which is meant to deepen the missionary perspective of the Church, explains EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser.
"Let us be careful not to see our contributions as points to defend at all costs or agendas to be imposed," the pope says at the synod's opening Mass on Oct. 2, Courtney Mares reports. The pontiff warns: "Ours is not a parliamentary assembly but rather a place of listening in communion."
Pope Francis opened the second assembly of the Synod on Synodality on Wednesday with a Mass concelebrated by over 400 priests, bishops, and cardinals in St. Peter's Square. #synod2024 #synodonsynodality #WalkingTogether https://t.co/6wACV6OH4N
- Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) October 2, 2024Oct. 2: Looming questions about role of German 'synodality'
"More candor about the motivations of the German Synodal Path and its vision of the Catholic future would be helpful in determining what, if anything, it has to offer the world Church at Synod 2024," comments George Weigel in the National Catholic Register.
Oct. 1: Penitential liturgy is held in St. Peter's Basilica; more than 500 people attend
On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis says the Catholic Church must first acknowledge its sins and ask for forgiveness before it can be credible in carrying out the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church, Kristina Millare reports.
Pope Francis: We must acknowledge our sins to become a missionary Church#synod2024 #synodonsynodality https://t.co/GXx28Y77ml
- Hannah Brockhaus (@HannahBrockhaus) October 2, 2024Nine years ago, this papal speech set the 'synodality' machine in motion
Since Pope Francis' 2015 speech, synodality has grown from a theological concept into a guiding principle of Church governance. Analysis from Jonathan Liedl in the National Catholic Register.
In the aftermath of Francis's programmatic 2015 speech, a set of theologians "flooded the zone" with systematized accounts of synodality.
- Jonathan Liedl (@JLLiedl) October 2, 2024
Unlike "synodality," their ideas weren't new. And many of them are the experts guiding the Synod on Synodality today.https://t.co/H3mlfJKSZeArticle reprinted with permission.
