Synod Heads to Vatican

The Continental Stage of the ongoing Bishops’ Synod on Synodality is completed. The final stages will meet at the Vatican: the first on October 4-29, 2023; the second in October 2024. In the Continental Stage, groups of Catholics, including laity, religious, priests and bishops, met in small groups, either in person or virtually. They continued the line of discussions which were started at local levels. The North American Continental Document, with choice of languages, is available at the USCCB website at the link HERE.

At the Vatican News website, the April 20, 2023 article, "Synod Continental Stage: ‘Most innovative aspect of synodal process'" can be found HERE.

As you may tell from my repeated links to the continued activities of this Synod, I have been quite interested in it. Part of the reason is that it is the first in which not only the opinions and concerns of the average Catholic are directly expressed and included in forming the points of discussion of a Bishops Synod, there will be laity and religious who will be able to vote (comments from laity were sought for the Synod of the Family in 2014, related post HERE). Of course, many of the problems discussed by the Catholic Magisterium throughout history were to guide and protect all Catholics about spiritual matters. But somehow, as one bishop mentioned in the continental document, the organization that the Church has become seems to have separated the leadership from their very people. From page 17 of the document:

Indeed, the listening sessions in the local Churches caused bishops to reflect on the structural challenges that make it difficult to sustain this style in a consistent way. “Has the Church been so organized that it becomes difficult to speak to it? The Church has organizationally isolated itself from the people of God” (Session III Group 17).

Many have felt there is no turning back from the Synodal way. However, even when all are asked to participate, much depends on leadership, for there can be resistance to change. I pray for Pope Francis to be able to continue his efforts to help us walk with the Holy Spirit.