These workshops are crucial in shaping discussions at the synod, which aims to make the Church more inclusive and participatory. This reflects the themes outlined in the Vatican's guiding document "Instrumentum Laboris".

Europe

In Europe, bishops will meet in Austria (August 29-31) to discuss how diversity can strengthen the Church amidst cultural challenges.

Pastoral theologian Klara-Antonia Csiszar said that diversity at all levels within the Catholic Church will be a key focus area of the meeting.

"We have attached importance to how diversity can be perceived in Europe" Csiszar said. "What message does this diversity have for the Church in Europe, what does it mean for our local churches, [and] what voice does the Church in Europe play in the symphony of the universal Church?"

Asia

The workshops in Bangkok (August 5-8) focused on fostering unity among diverse religious traditions in Asia. This is critical in a continent marked by significant religious plurality.

"Asia has nurtured a diversity of cultures and religions and, by embracing harmony, mutual appreciation and respect for differences, we can help the universal Church understand more about the experience of walking together amidst diversity" Cardinal Stephen Chow said.

Latin America

Latin American bishops met in Colombia (August 9-11) to examine the relationship between synodality and the Church's evangelising mission. They strongly emphasised areas facing social and economic hardships.

Archbishop of Caracas in Venezuela, Monsignor Raúl Biord, stated "Reducing mission to a missionary pastoral care as proposed in many of our diocesan organisational charts is unfocused and impoverishing".

"The true goal of synodality is the mission to which we are called (by the mandate of the Risen One), in which we are involved (from the Trinitarian dynamic) and committed (by baptism and the sacraments of Christian initiation)."

Africa

Discussions in Africa, at a meeting in Kenya (April 23-26), centred on integrating local cultural values into the Church's mission. This focus on community and interconnectedness could enrich the Church's approach to synodality and mission on the continent.

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, president of SECAM and archbishop of Kinshasa, said "There was consensus among delegates that Africa must embrace the experience of Small Christian Communities and the rich philosophical principles of Ubuntu, which highlight the values of family, fraternity and solidarity".

These regional workshops align with Pope Francis' vision of a Church that listens and responds to its global community.

The October synod will bring together Church leaders and laypeople to discuss these themes further. Together, they will aim to shape the future direction of the global Church.

Sources

Catholic News Agency

CathNews New Zealand

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 a worldwide consultation with listening sessions aimed at surfacing concerns people have about the Catholic Church.

Much of the working document presents a theological justification for synodality. Whether it will convince people who oppose the process remains to be seen.

The working paper insists that "Synodality is not simply a goal, but a journey of all the faithful."

The goal is for the whole people of God to become an agent of the proclamation of the Gospel.

"Through his Church, guided by his Spirit, the Lord wants to rekindle hope in the hearts of humanity, restore joy and save all, especially those whose faces are stained with tears and who cry out to Him in anguish."

Synodal process

The synodal process began with a listening phase, which was followed last October by discernment in prayer and dialogue to discover what steps the Spirit is asking us to take.

This was followed by further consultations to discover "How to be a synodal church in mission."

The objective of the consultation was "to identify the paths we can follow and the tools we might adopt in our different contexts and circumstances in order to enhance the unique contribution of each baptised person and of each Church in the one mission of proclaiming the Risen Lord and his Gospel to the world today."

Time for a cup of coffee. Just kidding.

The vision

The vision of a synodal church presented in the Instrumentum Laboris is beautiful, but it is terribly abstract.

We need to experience synodality to truly understand it, just as we need to experience love to understand it.

A philosophical dissertation on love does not cut it. Talking about synodality does not cut it; we need to experience it.

Those who have experienced synodality speak highly of it, especially "conversations in the Spirit," where small groups (around 10 people) listen and share their experiences, views and hopes for the church.

In preparation for the second session of the synod, the focus was on "how can the identity of the synodal People of God in mission take concrete form in the relationships, paths and places where the everyday life of the Church takes place?"

Under the direction of Pope Francis, all the hot-button issues surfaced at the first session of the synod have been sent to committees for further study. He wants the second session to focus on "How to be a synodal church in mission."

As a result, the Instrumentum Laboris presents the theological foundations of the vision of a missionary synodal church promoted by Pope Francis.

"In Christ, light of all the nations, we are one People of God, called to be a sign and instrument of union with God and of the unity of all humanity," explains the working document.

"We do this by walking together in history, living the communion that is a partaking in the life of the Trinity, and promoting the participation of all in view of our common mission."

Synodality involves a style of being church that includes "listening to the Word of God, listening to the Holy Spirit, listening to one another, listening to the living tradition of the Church and its Magisterium."

Such a vision requires rethinking how we present the Gospel in today's context. Old theological arguments are unintelligible to contemporary people.

A synodal church also calls for a renewal of liturgical and sacramental life "starting with liturgical celebrations that are beautiful, dignified, accessible, fully participative, well-inculturated and capable of nourishing the impulse towards mission."

This would include "the use of language that is more inclusive and to a range of images from Scripture and Tradition in preaching, teaching, catechesis and the drafting of official Church documents."

Different perspectives

The foundational section is followed by "three closely interwoven sections, which illuminate the missionary synodal life of the Church from different perspectives":

• from the perspective of the Relationships — with the Lord, between brothers and sisters and between Churches — which sustain the vitality of the Church in ways more profound than the merely structural;
• from the perspective of the pathways that support the dynamism of our ecclesial relationships;
• from the perspective of the places that are the tangible contexts for our embodied relationships, marked by their variety, plurality and interconnection, and rooted in the foundation of the profession of faith, resisting human temptations to abstract universalism."

Time for another cup of coffee.

Relationships vs structures

What the working document is trying to say is that the Church is more about relationships than structures, which are only there to support relationships.

What is desired is a "Church less focused on bureaucracy and more capable of nurturing relationships with the Lord, between men and women, in the family, in the community, and between social groups."

The synod has been asked to encourage the full participation of women, young people and the marginalised in parishes, dioceses and other ecclesial realities, including positions of responsibility.

Although the synod will not consider the possibility of married priests or women deacons and priests, it is open to greater involvement of laity in church ministries.

These could include "the ministry of co-ordinating a small Church community, the ministry of leading moments of prayer (at funerals or otherwise), the extraordinary ministry of communion, or other services not necessarily liturgical."

The working paper notes that in the Latin Church, laypeople can be delegated to do baptisms and weddings. Church rules could also be changed to allow laypeople to preach at Mass.

In other words, lay men and women could be allowed to do everything that deacons can do without worrying about ordination.

The working document encourages formalising the ministry of catechists, which has been so successful in Africa, where there are few deacons. It also proposes a new "ministry of listening and accompaniment."

These ministries would not include ordination, but they could be officially recognised and empowered by the Church.

Quoting Vatican II, the working paper says, the task of pastors is "to acknowledge their (the faithful's) ministries and their charisms, so that all may cooperate unanimously, each in her or his own way, in the common task."

The synodal way

Such a vision of the church moves "from a pyramidal way of exercising authority to a synodal way."

This "path will entail a new way of thinking about and organising pastoral action, which takes into account the participation of all baptised men and women in the mission of the Church, aiming, in particular, to bring out, recognise and animate the different baptismal charisms and ministries."

These positive relationships and ministries require "a deeper formation in the knowledge of how the Spirit acts in the Church and guides it through history," including "formation in listening" and discernment.

The purpose of this formation is to form "men and women capable of assuming the mission of the Church in co-responsibility and cooperation with the power of the Spirit (Acts 1:8)."

The working document calls for "the participation of women in formation programmes alongside seminarians, priests, religious, and lay people."

While emphasising the role of consultation and discernment, the Instrumentum Laboris also affirms "ultimately the responsibility of the competent authority" for decisions.

"The authority remains free from a juridical point of view since the consultative opinion is not binding." However, "if a general agreement emerges, the authority will not depart from it without a convincing reason."

The working document sees the exercise of authority as "a moderating force in the common search for what the Spirit requires, as a ministry at the service of the unity of the People of God."

But this also requires transparency, accountability and even a process for evaluating the use of authority in the church. The working paper acknowledges that "the lack of transparency and accountability fuels clericalism."

All of this happens in unique communities rooted in a place and a culture.

"The variety of liturgical, theological, spiritual, and disciplinary traditions demonstrate how much this plurality enriches the Church and makes it beautiful." The church must avoid the temptation of "an abstract and homogenising universalism."

Today, place cannot not be understood in purely geographical and spatial terms. "Rather, it points to our belonging to a web of relations and a culture that is more dynamic and mobile than in the past."

The working document concludes by noting the existence of parish, deanery and diocesan councils as well as episcopal conferences, which act as instruments for the consultation, planning and decision-making as envisaged by existing canon law.

With the appropriate adaptations, they could prove to be even more suitable for giving a synodal approach a concrete form.

"These Councils can become subjects of ecclesial discernment and synodal decision-making and places for the practice of accountability and the evaluation of those in positions of authority."

Episcopal conferences could also be given more authority, even "doctrinal authority," to respond to sociocultural diversity of the Church with "liturgical, disciplinary, theological, and spiritual expressions appropriate to different socio-cultural contexts."

In short, the October synod is being asked to reflect on "how to be a synodal Church in mission; how to engage in deep listening and dialogue; how to be co-responsible in the light of the dynamism of our personal and communal baptismal vocation; how to transform structures and processes so that all may participate and share the charisms that the Spirit pours out on each for the common good; how to exercise power and authority as service."

The challenge will be to answer these questions by pointing to paths and tools that are helpful in fostering relationships and discernment in churches in different places, while avoiding abstractions that will put people to sleep."

• First published in RNS
• The Rev. Thomas J. Reese, a Jesuit priest, is a Senior Analyst at RNS.

Pope Francis provokes "an insane hope" he says. Hope of reform. Hope that may remain unfulfilled.

"I am one of those people who - as Pope Francis says - live in the Amazon, suffer with it and love it passionately."

He and the other Amazon bishops worked together at the Synod to make sure the situation for the Church in the Amazon is clear and to offer solutions to its immense problems.

The 85-year old Kräutler says at the synod many Amazon bishops expressly called for proven men and women from remote church communities to be ordained as priests.

They voted on the issue of ordaining lay men and women who met the proposed criteria and the outcome showed 80 percent had voted in favour of viri probati (people of proven faith) and the diaconate for women.

"And Pope Francis did not accept it."

Kräutler says the Pope's response was frustrating and disappointing as he "had previously told us bishops: Make bold proposals to me".

Amazon bishops ignored

Kräutler says it is inconceivable that Francis did not mention the Amazon bishops' proposal at all in his final document of the synod.

He feels pessimistic about the universal Church's synodal process. He says "Nothing will come of it - nothing was achieved but expenses".

He does not believe this October's universal church synod will discuss "pressing reform issues" at all.

Reform inevitable

Yet Kräutler predicts that Church reform in the Amazon region is inevitable.

He says as a young "itinerant bishop" in remote areas he was often asked his wife's whereabouts. Celibacy isn't a concept that fits into the Amazonian reality. His response that he was unmarried resulted in strange looks.

Eventually he escaped the strange looks by lying. He told enquirers that "my wife is far, far away".

The villagers regretted this loneliness "but at least there were no more strange reactions".

Married priests are among the reforms he sees coming.

"Married priests will come first, then the diaconate for women. Women priests will be the next stage."

In Kräutler's view, the reasons Francis won't ordain women - to protect them from clericalism - is "a joke".

He says "the unordained men in the Amazon region are much more clerical than the women who lead parishes".

Furthermore he knows "no woman who lives clericalism - not one. We need women - also in ministries.

"It cannot be that ancient men design a theology of women."

Next steps

Kräutler hopes the next pope will bring back a "springtime for the Church" - similar to the one he experienced as a young man at the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

Francis has set the reform process in motion and the Church could not go back on the approaches he initiated, Kräutler says.

Source

• katholisch.de

The "Instrumentum Laboris," or "working document," is an initial plan for the second and final stage of the synod that Pope Francis called in 2021.

His aim was to promote dialogue in the Church and beginning with months of listening sessions at the parish and diocesan levels.

Among the most mentioned concerns were LGBTQ acceptance, combating sexual abuse, fighting poverty and violence, and women's roles in the Church.

"The contributions received at all stages highlighted the need to give fuller recognition to the charisms, vocation and role of women, to better honour this reciprocity of relations in all spheres of the Church's life," Tuesday's document stated.'

What's happened since last year

After last October's synod meeting, bishops and lay representatives met to produce a report on the synod that was sent to local churches for feedback and reflection.

Male and female religious organisations, 108 national bishops' conferences as well as nine participating Eastern rite churches then sent their reflections back to the Vatican's synod office.

A team of 70 experts, including canon lawyers and theologians, collaborated to draft the document released on Tuesday.

But while the topic of female participation and leadership is prevalent in the latest document, highly anticipated questions about allowing women to serve as deacons — ordained persons who can perform some of the sacraments and preach at Mass — will not be discussed at the gathering.

The Vatican has made that clear.

Asked about women in the diaconate in a May interview with CBS News, Francis pushed back, saying that women have functioned as deaconesses without ordination in the past, providing "a great service" to the Church.

Off the agenda

On Tuesday, Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the Vatican synod office, confirmed that women deacons would not be on the agenda at the synod.

"I read what the Holy Father said and so far it's a ‘no,'" Grech said at the news conference presenting the document on Tuesday.

"But at the same time, the Holy Father said that the reflection and in-depth theological analysis must go on."

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who leads the European bishops' conference, also clarified that the synod will not be making a final decision on such matters.

"The synod will entrust its conclusions to the Holy Father," he said.

A synodal Church in mission

Indeed, Francis has already asked that this October's meeting focus on the question of "how to be a synodal church in mission," pushing off other hot button topics, including the welcoming of LGBTQ people, priestly celibacy and women's ordination, for study by 10 small groups, which will issue a single report in 2025.

The "Instrumentum Laboris" instructed participants to consider practical actions to realise Catholic women's "untapped" potential and to develop new possibilities for women at every level.

The document suggested creating new spaces where women may share their skills and insights, allowing for more women in decision-making roles, expanding religious women's roles and responsibility and increasing the women's leadership in seminaries and Church tribunals.

The document urged acceptance and embrace of diverse communities in the Church more generally.

It calls calling for greater lay participation, accessible liturgies and for the welcoming of marginalised groups.

The document also asked that language and images used in churches be "more inclusive."

Synod participants were asked to strengthen the role of councils of lay and religious people that assist parish priests in managing the community.

"This is one of the most promising areas on which to act for a swift implementation of the synodal proposals and orientations, leading to changes with an effective and rapid impact," the document read.

The authors of the document appear to recognize that the financial and clerical abuse scandals of recent years have tarnished the Church's reputation.

They call for more scrutiny of local churches to ensure transparency and accountability, suggesting that laypeople with experience in financial planning and audits be more involved.

To combat abuse, the authors proposed that Catholic congregations explain how they have implemented safeguards.

All these issues, the "Intrumentum Laboris" said, could be better dealt with through closer collaboration between dioceses and the national bishops' conferences.

If the Vatican can't solve the most contentious disagreements in the Church, the latest document seemed to project a softer approach on these issues.

"Sure, there have been tensions and conflicts," said the Rev. Giacomo Costa, special secretary of the synod.

He adds: "the Church is not homogeneous but harmonious."

On Tuesday, Costa said at the news conference: "It would be nice if everyone were able to put harmony first, and not ideas, ideologies or interests, that end up destroying what we claim we want to preserve."

Source

• RNS

The initiative seeks to respond to women's longstanding demands to have a greater say in Church life.

Church reform

The Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith says the new document will form its contribution to Pope Francis' Church reform process, the Synod on Synodality.

The Synod is entering its second main phase with the next meeting of bishops this coming October.

The Vatican announced the details of the doctrinal document shortly after its news conference.

That conference - which four men led - described the preparatory work for the October meeting. Media were not given the opportunity to ask questions.

The smallest gesture

A group pressing for women's ordination promptly dismissed the new doctrinal document as "crumbs".

They noted ordained men would again be making decisions about women's roles in the Church.

Members of ten study groups will be looking into some tough, legally complicated issues that have arisen in the reform process to date.

These include the role of women and LGBTQ+ Catholics in the life of the church.

Unequal work, contribution and rights

Catholic women reportedly do most of the Church's work in schools and hospitals. They also tend to be those more likely to pass the faith on to future generations.

But many complain of a second-class status in a Church which reserves the priesthood for men only.

Francis has reaffirmed the ban on women priests but has appointed several women to senior Vatican positions.

He also encourages debate on other ways to hear women's voices.

The synod process is once such place, as women there have the right to vote on specific proposals. Voting rights until now have been restricted to men.

Francis had appointed two commissions to study whether women could be ordained deacons - those who can, though not priests, perform many priestly functions.

They may preside at weddings, baptisms and funerals, and preach. They cannot celebrate Mass.

Women respond

The Women's Ordination Conference says relegating the women deacons issue to the doctrine office doesn't suggest the Church is looking to involve women any more than now.

"The urgency to affirm women's full and equal place in the Church cannot be swept away, relegated to a shadowy commission or entrusted into the hands of ordained men at the Vatican" the women protest.

These groups will be working with the Vatican after the synod, suggesting this year's results may not be final.

After the 2023 session the synod summary made no mention of homosexuality, although the working document had specifically noted calls for a greater welcoming of "LGBTQ+ Catholics" and other marginalised people into the Church.

Instead, the summary said people who feel marginalised because of their marital situation, "identity and sexuality, ask to be listened to and accompanied, and their dignity defended".

Francis has since approved priests blessing same-sex couples.

Source

• AP News

The priests at the April 29-May 2 Rome-based meeting will reflect on the theme "How to Be a Synodal Local Church in Mission".

The invitation

The synod's General Secretariat has invited several parish priests to attend the second and last session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

The number of participants was determined according to a criterion similar to that which bishops' conferences used for electing members of the Synod Assembly (about 200).

In selecting participants, bishops' conferences and Eastern Catholic Churches were asked to take into account, as far as possible, those "who have significant experience with the perspective of a synodal Church".

They were also asked to "favour a certain variety of pastoral contexts of rural or urban origin or specific sociocultural contexts".

Listening, prayer and discernment

The Ordinary General Assembly's second and last session will be held at the Vatican next October.

Bishop Luis Marín de San Martín from the Sybod's General Secretariat says the meeting will involve "listening, prayer and discernment".

The meeting has strong Vatican support from the General Secretariat of the Synod and from the Dicasteries for the Clergy, for Evangelisation and for the Eastern Churches, Martin says.

The meeting will also respond "to the recommendations of the participants in the first session of the Synod of Synodality who suggested listening more to the voice of the parish priests".

The objectives

Marín says the objectives are to "listen to and enhance the synodal experience that they are having in their respective parishes and dioceses" and "enable dialogue ... experiences and ideas".

Another objective is for the meeting to "provide materials that will be used in the drafting of the Instrumentum Laboris (working document) for the Synod's second session.

These will add to the consultation summaries which the bishops' conferences coordinated and to the results of theological-canonical studies carried out under the auspices of the Synod's General Secretariat.

On the last day of the gathering, May 2, the parish priests will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican, finishing with a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.

Source

• Catholic News Agency