One suggested option is to establish continental advisory and decision-making bodies with their own rules alongside or in addition to the existing national bishops' conferences.

This authority-sharing might even involve deciding on issues such as priestly celibacy.

Paolo Ruffini, the Vatican's head of communications, outlined the ongoing discussions.

Key topics include the relationship between local churches, fostering communion within and between bishops' conferences, and exploring the possibility of granting bishops' conferences greater doctrinal authority and local authority over practice.

However, a senior member of the Synod warned, "A fragmented faith also means a fragmented church!"

Call for concrete change

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the synod's content coordinator, emphasised the importance of sharing the experience of "synodality" with all church members.

"If we keep this treasure only for ourselves, we transform it into a privilege rather than a service to the whole church" he said on 15 October as discussions on the third and final part of the working document began.

Cardinal Hollerich urged participants to propose concrete changes to the Church's institutions, asking -

"How do we need to rethink our institutions? Which institutional and organisational forms need to be changed and how?"

He highlighted the need to consider different local and cultural conditions while maintaining the unity of the worldwide Catholic Church.

A global perspective with local roots

The debate on decentralisation has highlighted the importance of balancing global unity with local diversity.

Benedictine Mother Maria Ignazia Angelini reminded members that faith is always practised within specific cultural contexts.

"If the ‘place' of the Church is always a concrete space-time of gathering, the journey of the Gospel in the world goes from threshold to threshold: it shuns being static, but also any ‘holy alliance' with the cultural contexts of the age" she said. "It inhabits them and is led by its life principle — the Spirit of the Lord — to transcend them."

Limit the scope of local and cultural universal faith

Despite the push for inclusivity, some church leaders have expressed concerns over the potential implications of decentralisation.

Australian Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP voiced his apprehension, warning against the idea of "reinventing" the Catholic faith.

"We cannot ‘reinvent the Catholic faith' or ‘teach a different Catholicism in different countries'" he said this week in an interview with conservative-leaning EWTN News Nightly.

The Archbishop acknowledged that our understanding of the deposit of faith has developed and will continue to develop but told the programme that he is "very concerned" that Catholics "hold on to the deposit of faith, the apostolic tradition".

Fisher wants limits on the scope of the ‘local and cultural' elements in a universal Catholic Church.

Fisher took over from Cardinal George Pell as the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney, NSW and was recently overlooked in being elevated to the position of Cardinal.

Sources

• Katholisch.de
• CathNews NZ
• Our Sunday Visitor
• CNA
• Crux

According to Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the General Relator of the Synod, the issue of women's priestly ordination was not included because it was not universally raised.

The Instrumentum laboris published recently reflects this view: "While some local Churches call for women to be admitted to the diaconal ministry, others reiterate their opposition" it says.

As a result, the topic will not be addressed during the Synod, but theological reflection on the matter will continue.

A study group has been established to explore the "necessary participation of women in the life and leadership of the Church". However, details about this group, including its membership, remain unclear.

The Vatican has announced that an official document addressing canon law and theological questions related to women's roles in the Church will be forthcoming. Still, no publication date has been set.

Delays, deferrals and further reflections

However, excluding women's ordination from the Synod's agenda has not silenced the debate.

Advocates like Jutta Mader-Schömer, Chairwoman of the Diaconate of Women Network, insisted "The topic simply cannot be kept under wraps, it must be discussed".

The network has actively contributed to the global Church dialogue. It emphasises that many women already serve in roles akin to deacons and feel called to this ministry.

Reform-oriented theologians, such as English theologian Tina Beattie, have criticised the continued delays and lack of transparency.

"And so, the process goes on - delays, deferrals, further reflections, unpublished reports - while the platitudinous waffle about women's charisms and gifts drones on year after year."

Beattie argues that while consensus on women deacons may be elusive, this should not hinder doctrinal development.

The conversation on women's ordination is not limited to theological circles. German bishops were questioned about the issue during the recent international altar servers' pilgrimage in Rome.

Bishop Michael Gerber called for a thorough theological examination of the arguments for and against women's ordination. However, he acknowledged that it is a highly emotional issue that could risk division within the Church.

Similarly, Bishop Bertram Meier of Augsburg cautioned against expecting immediate changes. He referenced Pope John Paul II's 1994 declaration that the Church is not authorised to ordain women.

Nonetheless, Meier affirmed that Pope Francis remains open to discussions and supports the appointment of more women to leadership roles within the Church.

Sources

Katholisch English

Religion News Service

CathNews New Zealand

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, a key organiser of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality, has called for sincere dialogue on women's roles in the Church.

Hollerich said that as a church "we have to commit to a very sincere dialogue because the situation is not the same in all the continents. In all of western Europe, women are asking to be admitted to ordained ministry".

Pope Francis established ten study groups to explore critical issues from the 2023 synod, including one on women deacons. While the Vatican recently disclosed the members of most groups, those studying women deacons remain unnamed.

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith oversees this group's work. However, no individual members have been identified, raising concerns about the process's transparency.

Transparency frustration

Casey Stanton, co-director of Discerning Deacons, criticised this secrecy, stating it undermines trust in the Church's commitment to synodality.

"The lack of transparency with this particular study group does not inspire trust or confidence in the institutional church's commitment to be synodal.

"Synodality requires us to risk being vulnerable, to engage theologically in light of pastoral realities and to hold difficult questions with openness" she told the National Catholic Reporter.

Frustration over the lack of transparency regarding how the doctrinal office is handling the topic of women deacons isn't new - it dates back over two decades.

In 2002, the International Theological Commission concluded a study of the diaconate that considered the question of women deacons. This was followed by two different commissions Francis established in 2016 and 2020. The work of the two commissions has never been made public.

British theologian Tina Beattie suggested that previous commissions might have found evidence supporting a female diaconate. However, the Vatican's leadership remains unconvinced.

"It's hard not to conclude that both reports included evidence in favour of a female diaconate, but that the magisterium's mind is made up so this is just a window-dressing exercise" she told NCR. "I think it shows arrogance and contempt for those of us who have a genuine interest in these theological issues and debates.

"It's hard not to conclude that these commissions are placebos" Beattie added.

Read More

Crux Now

National Catholic Reporter

CathNews New Zealand

Pope Francis consistently says "no" when asked if women can be deacons or join the Catholic clergy.

But Francis supports discussion about the women's diaconate. This October's synod working document affirms "theological reflection should continue".

Since last December the Pope and his Council of Cardinal Advisors - the "C9" - have had four meetings where women's input has been sought.

Talks from the December council meeting were published in February. Speeches three women made at that meeting and two cardinals' responses to them are included in a book published on July 11.

The Church "has sometimes fallen into the trap of considering loyalty to ideas to be more important than attention to reality" the Pope's foreword to the book says.

The women's diaconate

At the February meeting, Salesian Sister Linda Pocher (pictured) told the C9 that justifications for reserving ordained ministry to men "are weak, and it is important to recognise and be aware of it".

Biblically, the 12 apostles' calling cannot be equated with the institution of priestly or episcopal orders as they are understood today.

Theological justifications for excluding women from holy orders that assumed women were inherently incapable of holding positions in the public sphere don't hold true today, she said.

Furthermore historical papal decisions don't justify maintaining the practice.

Many popes have altered positions held by their predecessors.

Some things won't change

Cardinal Seán O'Malley responded to Pocher's suggestions saying Church tradition reserves priestly ordination for men.

But Church leadership should find ways to open more ministries to women since male-only ordained ministry "will not change".

It's not a matter of men being superior to women.

While women must be able to fully contribute to the Church, "we cannot allow ourselves to make mistakes acting hastily or without a full consideration of the possible consequences of these changes".

Furthermore, women everywhere need to occupy more leadership positions - in the Vatican, in archdioceses, dioceses and parishes he said.

Anglican view

Jo Bailey Wells, deputy secretary-general of the Anglican Communion, spoke to the C9 about the 1978 Lambeth Conference.

It gave each church the authority to decide whether to ordain women.

Part of the theological rationale was the idea that God created all humanity with the capacity to lead and govern.

Women's subordination to men followed humanity's fall from God's grace, she said.

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich replied, saying the Anglican ordained ministry is "not entirely adaptable to Catholic ordained ministry.

"In the Catholic Church we have a unity of doctrine and a unity of the episcopal college, in communion with the bishop of Rome, which represents the universal Church" he said.

There are divisions between Anglican parishes supporting women's ordination and those that don't - particularly in recognising women bishops' authority, he notes.

He is concerned that ordaining women could hinder the Church's warming relations with the Orthodox churches.

He wonders if the Church's synodal path that recognises its members' baptismal dignity in which "ordained ministry becomes true service" could "reduce the frustration of many women".

Source

• United States Catholic Bishops Conference

That is what Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich (pictured), the relator general for next October's synod, said in this exclusive interview with America's Vatican correspondent.

He emphasised the importance of the working document's attention to affirming and promoting the role of women in the Church in the 21st century and said, "If women do not feel comfortable in the Church, we have failed our living as Christians."

He explained that "synodality is the path the church has to follow in order to fight the polarisation" that exists in the Church and world today by seeking to harmonise differences.

Cardinal Hollerich presented the instrumentum laboris together with Cardinal Mario Grech, the secretary general of the synod, at a press conference in the Vatican on July 9.

I sat down with him afterward at the office of the synod's secretariat on Via della Conciliazione.

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich

The Luxembourg-born cardinal, who will turn 66 in August, is a member of the Japanese province of the Jesuits.

He lived in Japan from 1985-89 and again from 1994 to 2011, when Benedict XVI appointed him to be archbishop of Luxembourg.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal in 2019, named him relator general for the synod in 2021 and appointed him to his council of nine cardinal advisors in 2023.

He is one of the most influential figures at the October synod, together with Cardinal Grech. As relator general, he will deliver the keynote address to the synod's opening plenary assembly in October and will preside over the drafting of its final text. Read more

• Gerard O'Connell is America's Vatican correspondent and author of The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Story of the Conclave That Changed History.

In an interview with kath.ch, the Luxembourg archbishop stressed "If you attack too much, you won't achieve much. You have to be cautious, take one step at a time, and then you might be able to go very far".

As the General Relator in the synodal process of the universal Church, Hollerich highlighted that the synod focuses on listening rather than politicising.

The Jesuit commented that the issue of the ordination of women is not an infallible doctrinal decision. "It can be changed. It needs arguments and time."

Hollerich said he would be delighted if women felt fully equal in the church. "Whether that happens through the priesthood or not is something that time will tell."

What is important now is "that women are given more responsibility".

Addressing the criteria for ordination, Hollerich noted that vocation alone is not sufficient. He acknowledged that while men's vocations are scrutinised, women's are not, which can appear as structural discrimination - especially from a European perspective.

The Catholic Church will fall apart

He pointed out that the Church must consider global perspectives, where community often takes precedence over individualism.

The cardinal explained that the objection that appointed women should take a back seat is "based on a typically European principle of the individual. Many societies don't think like that at all - the community comes before the individual".

Hollerich warned against imposing European individualistic principles on the global Church, which could be seen as neo-colonialist and provoke a backlash.

According to Hollerich, the global church must consider different mentalities. "We have to have these discussions with the whole church, otherwise we will have huge problems later. Then the Catholic Church will fall apart."

Cardinal Hollerich concluded: "It's not the evil Vatican that insists on these positions and doesn't want to change anything." There would be "a storm in other continents if it were to introduce the female priesthood tomorrow" and the Vatican would have to back down.

This has already been experienced with the comparatively "small matter" that same-sex couples can now be blessed in church.

Sources

English Katholisch

The Pillar

CathNews New Zealand

The decision comes amidst growing anticipation about key matters such as women's access to the diaconate and LGBTQ+ inclusion within the Church.

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich clarified that the next synod would centre on synodality. He highlighted dialogue, welcome and listening as essential elements within the Church.

"The synod of bishops will be centred on the theme of synodality" said Cardinal Hollerich. He is the relator general of the general assembly of the synod of bishops.

He added "Addressing all these other topics within the context of the Synod on Synodality is impossible."

Synodality is a loosely defined term used by Pope Francis to describe "a new way of being church".

However, while promising to reform the traditionally hierarchical structure of the church, Francis has made clear that synodality is not synonymous with democracy.

"Only those who experience synodality understand what it means and what its fruits are" said Cardinal Mario Grech, the synod's general secretary.

Steady progress

The reshuffle aims to deepen understanding and study the complexities surrounding these issues.

To this end, the Pope has mandated the formation of ten study groups. They will address concerns such as ecumenical dialogue, the role of bishops, and controversial doctrinal questions. Special attention will be given to women's access to the diaconate. The interplay between doctrine and pastoral care for LGBTQ+ Catholics will also be a focus.

Additionally, five working groups have been established to delve into various themes. The role of bishops and decentralisation in the Church are two highlighted. Their findings will be presented at the synod's next meeting in October this year.

The synodal process, initiated in 2021, has seen extensive consultations across various levels of the Church, culminating in a diverse assembly in 2023. Laypeople participated alongside bishops and cardinals, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity and dialogue within the Church.

Sister Simona Brambilla, the new secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, said the synod is "not about this or that topic".

"The important thing is how to reflect in a synodal way" she said, saying the Church at various levels "must clarify how to do this" and "walk together" in addressing important topics of broad interest.

While critics have raised concerns about the delay in addressing pressing issues, Hollerich said that the church is moving "slowly but surely" on a synodal path, facing "this great construction site that has been set before us".

Sources

Religion News Service

Crux

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

CathNews New Zealand

"There are people who find it difficult to live a celibate life. If you gave them the choice, you could attract a few more to the priesthood," Hollerich told the Luxembourg daily newspaper "L'Essentiel". "In Europe, these 'few' could make a difference."

The Church needs to be understood by people again, "because the times we live in have changed phenomenally", the cardinal continued.

Regarding the blessing of homosexual and remarried couples advocated by Pope Francis, among other things, Hollerich emphasised that he was "absolutely in line with the Pope". Like Pope Francis, he sees himself as a "sinner" and therefore does not want to condemn anyone.

Read More

The Synod witnessed vigorous debates during small-group discussions. However Hollerich, a key figure in the month-long Vatican assembly, highlighted that even in the face of disagreements alternative solutions were found.

"To have this freedom and openness will change the Church" he said, "and I'm sure the Church will find answers, but perhaps not the exact answer this group or that group wants to have, but answers [with which] most people could feel well and listened to."

Cardinal Hollerich noted that the genuine process begins after the entire synod concludes, with expectations of a comprehensive document addressing theological aspects of synodality in the following year.

Hollerich emphasised that the document represents just a step in the Church's evolving journey.

Furthermore, the archbishop of Luxembourg underscored the synod's primary focus on synodality, stating that certain topics hold significance for some individuals, even if they weren't explicitly addressed in the synthesis report.

"And I think a synodal Church will more easily try to speak about these topics than the Church as it was structured in the past" he said.

"That's not to say that a synodal Church will just embrace everything," he added.

Happy with the result

Regarding the fact that some contentious issues in the assembly's report received opposition, Cardinal Mario Grech, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, said "There are points in which we agree and points in which there is still a way to go."

Hollerich commented: "It was clear to me that some topics would have resistance. I am full of wonder that so many people have voted in favour. That means that the resistance [was] not so great as people have thought before. So yes, I am happy with that result."

One notable point in the report was the consideration of women deacons, which received 277 votes in favour and 69 against.

Grech said, "This is the approach of Jesus, to create spaces for everyone so that no one feels excluded" he added. "Today, there was a tremendous joy that you could see with your own eyes."

"I think" Hollerich said, "people will leave tomorrow or the day after tomorrow going home with a heart full of hope, with a lot of ideas and I'm looking forward to seeing them back next year."

Sources

Catholic News Agency

CathNews New Zealand

The recently published final document guides the church in the coming 11 months and, while not as concrete as some might like, it highlights the role of bishops in leading the change and calls bishops to "bear witness" to their experience of synodality.

"After a month of work, now the Lord is calling us to return to our Churches to pass on to all of you the fruits of our work and to continue the journey together," says the Synod Synthesis.

Dialogue rather than diatribe

Passing on the fruits of the Synod's work is a point reinforced by new Archbishop George Leo Thomas who, in discussing the pope's reforms and synodality, said:

"As you observe the leadership style of Pope Francis, you will quickly note his preference for dialogue over diatribe, persuasion over polemic, invitation over invective and accompaniment over alienation.

"A style of leadership that pays high dividends in our highly polarised and contentious world. This, and so much more, is the Holy Father we know and love."

Replicate the experience

Another key insight came from Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich's interview with America magazine.

"I have said before that the bishops of the Second Vatican Council only brought back the decisions. They never shared with us the experience or replicated it.

"I think we have an opportunity now to replicate the experience we've had here in the next 11 months. Then to come back and be able to share what it is that the people of God had said to us when they have experienced a synodal process the way we did," Cupich said.

Bishops to 'step up'

Michael Sean Winters in his piece for NCR notes that, while specific proposals remain somewhat ambiguous, a lot depends on the diocesan bishop.

He quotes from the synthesis document.

"The conviction with which the bishop himself adopts a synodal approach and the style by which he exercises authority will influence decisively how priests and deacons, lay men and women, and those in consecrated life participate in the synodal process.

"The bishop is called to be an example of synodality for all."

At the end of the Synod, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the synod's relator general, said the synodal synthesis document is entrusted to the bishops' conferences so that they may promote its return to the people of God living in the local Churches.

"The process starts, really starts, at the end of the [whole] synod," Hollerich told journalists.

Sources

National Catholic Reporter

Catholic News Agency

The roughly 450 bishops and lay delegates involved in the October 4-29 Synod of Bishops have faced a series of disagreements.

Principally, the participation of the laity and questions about the role of women's ministries and the response to LGBTQ Catholics have raised temperatures.

For synod organisers — and, indeed, the pope himself — disagreement was all part of the plan.

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, one of the synod's principal organisers, had warned of potential tensions.

"Tensions are a part of the process, as long as we consider ourselves to be sisters and brothers, walking together," Hollerich said.

In the second and third weeks of the assembly, the differences in opinions on various matters became evident.

Pope Francis had requested that members refrain from discussing the proceedings publicly.

The official guidelines for the meeting tasked small groups with identifying areas of agreement and disagreement and pinpointing topics that needed further study and theological reflection.

Laity more familiar with synodality

Both bishops and lay members noted that the laity appeared to be more familiar with synodality.

"Synodality is ingrained in the nature of the people of God," said Cardinal Mario Grech who runs the Vatican synod office.

"In the laity, I felt we are not bringing something new. To the contrary, we were harping a chord in their heart, and they were ready to sing and to dance to this music."

While expanding the synod's scope to include lay members aimed to integrate the entire church, some delegates found the emphasis on listening and active face-to-face interaction tiresome.

Unlike past synods, where participants could sit in a more relaxed setting, this synod required active engagement and eye-to-eye discussions.

Reports of incidents such as bishops walking out because of disagreements or clashes between articulate speakers and those less experienced added to the growing tension.

Sources

National Catholic Reporter

CathNews New Zealand

This is the subject of the third module, dedicated to section B2 of the Instrumentum laboris, or working document, which is being addressed starting today.

B2 reads: "Co-responsibility in Mission: How can we better share gifts and tasks in the service of the Gospel?"

In his reflection, the relator general concluded that "in this module, we touch on some of the key points of our Synod" and thus asked those present not to give "hasty answers that do not consider all the aspects of these difficult questions."

Read More

As the 364 attendees gathered at 35 round tables in the grand Paul VI Audience Hall, the initial three days were an intriguing mix of experimentation and camaraderie.

"If we act like Jesus, we will testify to God's love for the world" said Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich. Hollerich is one of the principal coordinators of the 2023 Synod.

"Failing to do so will make us look like an identitarian club."

Incredible diversity

One innovative approach that took centre stage was "conversation in the Spirit," a method that the organisers extolled for its ability to give every participant a voice, alternating between speaking and silence.

This fresh perspective stirred a range of initial reactions from the attendees.

Some were quick to praise the "incredible diversity" of the members. However, others whimsically compared the round table setup to a wedding banquet and even a cabaret.

Some seemed sceptical at the outset, with one participant remarking "Some came dragging their feet."

However as time passed, attitudes seemed to evolve.

"Some of the bishops present had not participated in the synodal process in their own countries and came here as if they were being punished" one noted, then added "But it seems things have taken off. They understand."

Process change

Significantly, Vatican Synod organisers pointed to establishing friendly bonds among participants with differing views.

Inside the assembly hall, discussions aim to foster a state of unity.

It is not only the 'hot' content of the debates but the synod forma that t is unfamiliar to Catholic bishops. These men are used to having the final word, usually in private, and sharing only what they wish.

However as Müller noted in his interview with EWTN, laypeople can vote on the church's future, so the synod's nature has changed.

Covid outbreak?

Earlier in the week a Vatican News article momentarily caused some confusion when it mistakenly stated that 118 synod participants had tested positive for Covid-19.

This statement was attributed to Cardinal Mario Grech, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops.

Later, Cardinal Grech clarified that only "four people" had reported testing positive for Covid.

Sources

La Croix International

Catholic News Agency

Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, a leading organiser of the Vatican's ongoing synod process, also said that the church's language of describing LGBT persons as "intrinsically disordered" is "dubious."

While emphasising Francis is not in favour of the ordination of women, Cardinal Hollerich said that it remains an open conversation among some Catholics and that he would like to see women given greater pastoral responsibilities.

"Pope Francis does not want the ordination of women, and I am completely obedient to that," Hollerich said in a wide-ranging interview with the Croatian Catholic weekly, Glas Koncila, published on March 27.

"I am a promoter of giving women more pastoral responsibility. And if we achieve that, then we can perhaps see if there still is a desire among women for ordination," he added.

The Jesuit cardinal, the relator, or chairperson of the 2023 and 2024 Synod of Bishops, said that should the church ever reconsider the question, it should do so in consultation and unity with the Orthodox Church.

"We could never do that if it would jeopardise our fraternity with the Orthodox or if it would polarise the unity of our church," he said. "Love is not something abstract; it is the love for our sisters and brothers that prevents us from doing things that would alienate them."

Ordinatio Sacerdotalis not infallible

When asked if a future pope could rule against John Paul II's 1994 apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, which said that the Catholic Church does not have the authority to ordain women, Hollerich said it was possible.

But he denied that the teaching of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis is infallible and said, "I think there could be room for the doctrine to be expanded."

He went on to offer a comparison to Pope Pius IX's 1864 "Syllabus of Errors," which was considered infallible and condemned religious freedom and interfaith dialogue. Such practices, the cardinal said, are now common in the church.

Nonetheless, the cardinal returned to his position that the decision of the current Pontiff would guide him. "But at this moment, if Pope Francis tells me it's not an option, it's not an option."

"It is very difficult to be Catholic without obedience to the pope. Some very conservative people always preached obedience to the pope, as long as the pope said the things they wanted to hear," said the cardinal.

"The pope says things that are difficult for me too, but I see them as a chance for conversion, for becoming a more faithful and happier Christian," he added.

Sources

National Catholic Reporter

Catholic Culture

Though Cardinal McElroy's essay touched on a number of issues about the future vitality of the church, much of the criticism focused on his call for the church to be more welcoming to L.G.B.T. Catholics and boils down to the belief that the way for the church to welcome and include gay and lesbian people is by inviting them to conversion and a life of chastity, while forthrightly teaching the sinfulness of homosexual acts.

These kinds of essays tend to pop up whenever a high-profile church leader, including Pope Francis, preach a message of welcome to L.G.B.T. people and their families.

But in addition to the critique of Cardinal McElroy's focus on welcome and inclusion, critics are also reacting to the process through which that could happen: the ongoing synod of bishops on the topic on synodality.

While Cardinal McElroy started off by noting that synodal conversations revealed significant concern about alienation from the church, much of the criticism in response to his essay is animated by the worry in some Catholic circles that the ongoing global consultation process initiated by Pope Francis in October 2021, and set to conclude in October 2024, could usher in changes to church teaching regarding human sexuality.

JD Flynn, a canon lawyer and the co-founder and editor in chief of The Pillar, wrote in a recent essay, "While the pope and other synod organisers have insisted the global synod process does not aim to focus on doctrinal changes, McElroy has suggested that it will—just as many Catholics have insisted it might since the process was announced two years ago."

If it feels like we have been here before—a debate over controversial issues linked to a global synod of bishops—that is because we have.

In the run-up to the Synod on the Family, held in 2014 and 2015, bishops from around the world were asked to consult the laity ahead of a gathering in Rome in which they would discuss the church's outreach to and support of families.

Francis declared that nothing was off the table.

Given that family life includes a host of joys and challenges, on the agenda was everything from economic opportunities to child care at Mass.

But in reality, at least in much of the Western media, two topics came to dominate the conversation: Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics and, as now, how the church ought to interact with its L.G.B.T. members and their families.

Ultimately, the bishops meeting to discuss family life in 2015 did not recommend any explicit changes to church teaching, though a footnote in the pope's apostolic exhortation responding to the synod, "Amoris Laetitia," appeared to have opened the door to divorced and remarried Catholics being welcome at Communion.

Two more hot topics would emerge a couple of years later, when bishops and lay Catholics in the Amazon region debated whether allowing married men to join the priesthood and women to be ordained as deacons could help alleviate the extreme priest shortage affecting many churches in many South American nations.

Today, the synod is again serving, in part, as a proxy for the ongoing debate over how the church maintains its traditional teaching at a time when women and L.G.B.T. people are more assertive in demanding equal treatment in society and the church.

In the context of the United States, Cardinal McElroy's argument that women and L.G.B.T. people are deserving of a more pastoral welcome in the church may feel like an outlier, but that is not necessarily the case.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a report last year in which they summarised the 10-month consultation process for the synod on synodality that took place in 2021.

The place of L.G.B.T. people in the church was highlighted in the report, including in a section about groups of Catholics who feel marginalised.

"In order to become a more welcoming Church there is a deep need for ongoing discernment of the whole Church on how best to accompany our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters," the report states.

In other countries, the calls to make the church more welcoming for L.G.B.T. people have been even stronger.

Last year, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg called the church's teaching on homosexuality "no longer correct," and stated, "I think it is time for a fundamental revision of the doctrine."

Cardinal Hollerich is also the relator general of the upcoming synod, which means he will lay out the synod's theme at the start of the gathering and synthesise the speeches and reports before work begins on proposals.

Those proposals will then be delivered to the pope for his further discernment.

In short, Cardinal Hollerich will help shape the synod, which helps explain why some Catholics are fearful that the meeting could lead to changes in church teaching. Continue reading

• Michael J. O'Loughlin is national correspondent at America and author of Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has ruled against such blessings.

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ made the comment in response to a question about Belgium's Catholic bishops supporting blessings for unions of same-sex couples — in defiance of the Vatican.

"Frankly, the question does not seem decisive to me," Hollerich told L'Osservatore Romano in an interview also published on Vatican News.

The Vatican's doctrine office clarified in March 2021 that the Church does not have the power to bless the unions of same-sex couples.

Nonetheless, Catholic bishops in Belgium published a text for blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples in their dioceses. The bishops of Flanders also posted a liturgy for celebrating homosexual unions.

Hollerich pointed to the etymology of the Italian words for "to bless" and "to curse": benedire and maledire.

"If we stay with the etymology of ‘bene-dire,' [‘say good'] do you think God could ever ‘dire-male' [say bad] about two people who love each other?" he asked.

"I would be more interested in discussing other aspects of the problem.

"For example: what is the conspicuous growth of homosexual orientation in society driven by? Or why is the percentage of homosexuals in ecclesial institutions higher than in civil society?"

The cardinal specified that he does not think "there is room for a sacramental marriage between persons of the same sex," because same-sex unions lack the procreative character of marriage.

"But that does not mean that their affective relationship has no value," he added.

"Pope Francis often recalls the need for theology to be able to originate and develop from human experience and not remain the fruit of academic elaboration alone.

"Then, so many of our brothers and sisters tell us that, whatever the origin and cause of their sexual orientation, they certainly did not choose it. They are not ‘bad apples.' They are also fruits of creation."

Hollerich said he has a lot of contact with young people in his ministry. "For young people today, the highest value is non-discrimination."

The cardinal recalled an encounter with a woman in her twenties who said she wanted to leave the Church because it does not welcome homosexual couples.

"I asked her, ‘do you feel discriminated against because you are homosexual?'. She replied, ‘No, no! I am not a lesbian, but my closest friend is. I know her suffering, and I don't intend to be part of those who judge her.' That made me think a lot," Hollerich said.

"Everyone is called. No one is excluded: even the divorced and remarried, even homosexuals, everyone. The Kingdom of God is not an exclusive club. It opens its doors to everyone, without discrimination."

Sources

Catholic News Agency

CathNews New Zealand

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich - the 63-year-old Jesuit who leads the Archdiocese of Luxembourg and who is president of COMECE (the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union) — speaks frankly about these and other issues.

La Croix: You are a former missionary to Japan, a Jesuit, an archbishop of Luxembourg, a cardinal... Have you always sought God in the same way?

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich: When I arrived in Japan as a young priest, it was a great shock. At that time I was a young man steeped in the popular Catholicism of Luxembourg.

With other Jesuits, each one coming from a different Catholic background, we arrived with a model of Catholicism that we all saw very quickly did not correspond to the expectations of Japan.

For me, this represented a crisis.

I had to put aside all the piety that had been the richness of my faith until then and give up the ways that I loved.

I was faced with a choice: either renounce my faith because I could not find the ways that I knew, or start an inner journey. I chose the second option.

Before I could proclaim God, I had to become a seeker of God. I said with insistence: "God, where are you? Where are you, both in traditional culture and in postmodern Japan?"

When I returned to Europe ten years ago, I had to start over again.

To be honest, I thought I would find the Catholicism that I had left in my youth. But that world no longer existed.

Today, in this secularised Europe, I have to do the same thing: seek God.

Has Europe today once again become a land of mission?

Yes, it has been for a long time.

The Luxembourg of my youth was a bit like Ireland, with great processions, strong popular piety, etc. When I was a child, all the children went to church. My parents didn't go, but they sent me, because it was normal to do so.

I remember at school, a child in my class didn't make her first communion and that created a scandal. Now the thing that causes the scandal is when a child actually does make it.

But upon reflection, I can see that this past was not so glorious. I obviously didn't see that as a child, but I realise now that there were already many cracks and hypocrisies in that society back then.

Basically, people didn't believe any more than they do today, even if they went to church. They had a kind of cultural Sunday practice, but it was not inspired by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Do you think this cultural Catholicism is finished?

Not quite yet. It varies in different parts of the world. But I am convinced that Covid will accelerate this process.

In Luxembourg, we have one-third fewer churchgoers. I'm sure they won't come back. Among them are people of a certain age who will find it painful to return to religious practice, to go to a church.

But there are also those Catholics for whom Sunday Mass was an important ritual, providing stability to their lives.

For many, calling oneself Catholic is still a kind of disguise endowed with a general morality. It helps them to keep up with society, to be "good Christians", but without really defining what that means.

But this era must end. We must now build a Church based upon faith.

We know now that we are and will be a minority. We should not be surprised or saddened by this.

I have the sweet certainty that my Lord is present in Europe today.

And you have no doubts about that?

Oh no. No doubts at all. It's not a question that haunts me anymore.

When I was younger, I was afraid I wouldn't find it. It was as though I was haunted by this fear. I had to find out or I would sink. Now I am much more peaceful.

Is that the wisdom of age?

I don't know if there is such a thing as wisdom of age. (Laughs.) I would be happy if there were!

But deep down, we always do the same stupid things, and we always come up against the same wall. At least we know that the wall is there, and that it will hurt.

I also know now that I am only an instrument of the Lord. There are many others. This awareness makes me always a little suspicious of all those who say they have the unbeatable formula for announcing God.

There is no magic recipe?

No. There is only the humility of the Gospel.

And when you were younger, did you believe in magic recipes?

Yes, of course, I believed in them. But it is a beautiful folly of youth. It also shows the enthusiasm of young people.

Why is the message of Christianity still relevant today?

Because people have not changed in two thousand years.

We are still looking for happiness and we don't find it. We are still thirsty for infinity and come up against our own limits.

We commit injustices that have serious consequences for other people, which we call sin. But we now live in a culture that tends to repress what is human.

This consumer culture promises to fulfil human desires, but it fails to do so.

Yet, in moments of crisis, of shock, people realise that a whole host of questions lie dormant in their hearts. The message of the Gospel is exceptionally fresh in responding to this search for meaning and happiness.

The message is still relevant, but the messengers sometimes appear in costumes from times gone by, which is not the best service towards the message itself.

This is why we need to adapt. Not to change the message itself, of course, but so that it can be understood, even if we are the ones announcing it.

The world is still searching, but it is no longer looking in our direction, and that hurts. We must present the Gospel message in such a way that people can orient themselves towards Christ.

This is precisely why Pope Francis launched the Synod on Synodality last October, for which you are general rapporteur. You said recently that you do not know what you will write in the report?

I have to be the one to listen. If I make a lot of proposals, it will discourage people who have a different opinion. So it is the people who have to fill my head and the pages.

This is a synod. It must be open. As the pope says, it is the Holy Spirit who is the master builder. So we must also leave room for the Holy Spirit.

This method is important today because we can no longer be satisfied with giving orders from the top down. In all societies, in politics, in business, what counts now is networking.

This change in decision-making goes hand in hand with a real change in civilisation, which we are facing. And the Church, as it has always done throughout its history, must adapt to it.

The difference is that this time the change in civilisation has an unprecedented force. We have a theology that no one will understand in 20 or 30 years. This civilisation will have passed.

This is why we need a new language that must be based on the Gospel. And the whole Church must participate in the development of this new language: this is the meaning of the synod.

As president of COMECE, you took part in a meeting in Rome at the beginning of October with the European right-wing and centre-right parties. On leaving, Cardinal Pietro Parolin encouraged them not to consider Christianity as a supermarket from which only certain values can be chosen. Does this temptation exist among politicians?

Yes, clearly.

On the right, they take up Christian symbols. They like rosaries and crucifixes, but this is not always linked to the mystery of Christ.

This is related to our past European culture. They want to refer to a culture in order to keep it. This is a misuse of religion.

On the left, I also know politicians who say they are committed Christians, who fight against climate change, but who vote in the European Parliament to make abortion a fundamental right and to limit freedom of conscience for doctors. That is also taking religion like a supermarket.

One can be a Christian Democrat, a socialist, an environmentalist, etc., and still be a Christian. This diversity of political formations is of great benefit to society.

But politicians often tend to keep their religious preferences private. In this case, it is no longer a religion, but a personal conviction.

Religion requires a public space to express itself.

But isn't it more difficult for Christians to get involved in politics?

First, it is true that there are fewer Christians. Secondly, it is true that they are less and less involved in politics.

We see this after each election.

On the other hand, it is obvious that the message from the bishops to society is no longer getting through. You have experienced this in France for several years.

This is the consequence of our being in the minority.

To help people understand what we want, we must enter into a long dialogue with those who are no longer Christians, or who are Christians only on the periphery.

If we have certain positions, it is not because we are conservative but because we believe that life and the human person must be at the centre.

To be able to say this, I think we need to have dialogues and friendships with decision-makers or politicians who think differently.

Even if they are not Christians, we share with them an honest concern to collaborate for the good of society. If we do not want to live in a compartmentalised society, we must be able to listen to each other's stories.

Does this mean that the Church must give up defending its ideas?

No, it's not about that. We must try to understand the other, to build bridges with society.

To speak about Christian anthropology, we must base ourselves upon the human experience of our interlocutor. For although Christian anthropology is marvellous, soon it will no longer be understood if we do not change our method.

And what use is it to us to speak if we are not heard? Do we speak for ourselves, to make sure we are on the right side? Is it to reassure our own followers? Or do we speak to be heard?

What are the conditions for this listening?

First of all, humility.

I think that even if it is not necessarily conscious, the Church has the image of an institution that knows everything better than others. So therefore it needs a great deal of humility, otherwise, it cannot enter into a dialogue.

This also means that we must show that we want to learn from others.

Here is an example: I am totally opposed to abortion. And as a Christian, I cannot have a different position.

But I also understand that there is a concern for the dignity of women, and the discourse we had in the past to oppose abortion laws is no longer heard today. So what else can we do to defend life?

When a discourse no longer carries weight, we must not be obstinate in using it, but look for other ways.

In France, many believe that the Church has lost a large part of its credibility because of the sexual crimes committed within it. How do you position yourself in relation to this crisis?

First of all, I want to say that these abuses are a scandal.

And when we see the numbers in the Sauvé Report, we can see that it is not the lapse of a few. There is a systemic fault somewhere, and it needs to be addressed.

We should not be afraid of the injuries that this might inflict on us, which are absolutely nothing compared to those of the victims. We, therefore, need to be very honest and be prepared to take some hits.

A few weeks ago I was in Portugal, where I was celebrating Mass. There was a little boy there who, while serving Mass, looked at me as if I were the good Lord. I could see that he saw me as a representative of God, which I was, in fact, during the liturgy.

Abusing such children is a real crime. It is a much more serious offence than if a teacher or a sports coach were to commit such acts. The fact that this was tolerated to protect the Church hurts. We turned a blind eye! It is almost irreparable.

Now I come to your question. Some people have lost confidence.

In order to regain it, when possible, one must have great humility. When one accompanies a community or a person, one must always keep in mind the principle of absolute respect for those whom one accompanies. I cannot put aside even one person.

It seems obvious to me that these questions will be on everyone's mind and in everyone's heart during the synodal process. We need to embrace change.

If there is a systemic fault, do you think systemic changes are needed?

Yes. Obviously, in my diocese, like many others, we have a charter of good conduct that everyone has to sign, priests as well as laypeople who work for the Church.

Before ordination, we also subject seminarians to eight psychological sessions designed to detect paedophilia.

We are doing all we can, but it is not enough. We need a Church that is structured in such a way that these things are no longer possible.

What does that mean?

If women and young people had been given more of a voice, these things would have been discovered much sooner.

We must stop acting as if women were a marginal group in the Church.

They are not on the periphery of the Church, they are in the centre. And if we do not give a voice to those who are at the centre of the Church, we will have a big problem.

I don't want to be more specific: this question will inevitably be asked at the Synod, in various cultures, in diverse contexts.

But women have been ignored too much. We must listen to them, as we do to the rest of the people of God.

Bishops must be like shepherds who listen to their people. It's not just for them to say, "Yes, I hear, but that doesn't interest me". They need to be in the midst of their flock.

What other changes need to be made?

The formation of the clergy must change.

It must not be centred only on the liturgy, even if I understand that seminarians attach great importance to it.

Lay people and women must have a say in the formation of priests. Forming priests is a duty for the whole Church, so the whole Church must accompany this step, with married and single men and women.

Secondly, we need to change our way of looking at sexuality. Until now, we have had a rather repressed vision of sexuality.

Obviously, it's not about telling people they can do just anything or abolishing morality, but I think we need to say that sexuality is a gift from God.

We know that, but do we say it? I'm not sure.

Some people attribute the increase in abuse to the sexual revolution. I think exactly the opposite: in my opinion, the most horrible cases occurred before the 1970s.

In this area, priests also need to be able to talk about their own sexuality and to be heard if they are having trouble living out celibacy. They must be able to talk about it freely, without fear of being reprimanded by their bishop.

As for homosexual priests, and there are many of them, it would be good if they could talk about it to their bishop without the latter condemning them.

As for celibacy and the priestly life, let us ask frankly if a priest must necessarily be celibate.

I have a very high opinion of celibacy, but is it indispensable?

In my diocese, I have married deacons who carry out their diaconate role in a marvellous way, who give homilies through which they touch people much more powerfully than we who are celibate. Why not have married priests too?

In the same way, if a priest can no longer live this solitude, we must be able to understand him, not condemn him.

I'm old now, so this doesn't concern me as much...

Have you felt the difficulty of living this solitude?

Yes, of course.

At certain times in my life, it was very clear. And it is also obvious that every priest falls in love from time to time. The question is how to behave in this case.

First of all, one must have the honesty to admit it to oneself and then act in such a way that one can continue to live out one's priesthood.

• Interview by Loup Besmond de Senneville. First published in La-Croix International. Republished with permission.