The Pope recalled that the year 2025 is a jubilee year dedicated to hope, as well as the 1700th anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (now Iznik, Turkey, which he said is considering visiting).

A document by the Commission "intended to shed light on the timeliness of the faith professed at Nicaea" could "prove invaluable, in the course of the Jubilee Year, to nourish and deepen the faith of believers and, based on the figure of Jesus, to offer insights and reflections useful for a new cultural and social paradigm inspired by the humanity of Christ," the Pope said.

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"There is something I don't like about you, if you excuse my honesty," said Pope Francis, pointing out that there were only five women among the 30-plus theologians.

"We need to move forward on this! Women have a way of reflecting on theology that is different from us men," he added.

The International Theological Commission is part of the Roman Curia and advises the Vatican doctrinal department on theological issues.

The pope appoints its members, and women have been allowed to become members since 2004.

The pope said he studied the Italian theologian Romano Guardini through the work of a woman, Hanna-Barbara Gerl-Falkovitz, who impacted his understanding of women in theology.

Francis also noted that at the next meeting with the Council of Cardinals, a body that advises him on church matters, they "will reflect on the role of women in the church."

The general secretary of the commission, Monsignor Piero Coda, said Francis' words were "an additional encouragement for something that is very dear to the pope but is also at the heart of the journey that the church is undergoing though the synodal process."

Bishops and laypeople, including an unprecedented number of women, took part in October's Synod on Synodality at the Vatican which in its final report demanded a theological reflection on the role of women in the church, as well as the possibility of allowing women to become deacons.

Catholic deacons preach at Mass and perform marriages and baptisms but do not celebrate the Eucharist or hear confessions.

Those who oppose allowing female deacons claim it would represent a first step toward opening the priesthood to women.

The pope's words on Thursday underlined "the need to increase the space given to women in positions of authority and decision-making in the Christian community, in order to treasure the sensibility and intelligence that is typical of the feminine genius and experience," Coda told Religion News Service.

Women have always been important in the church, the theologian said, but "it's time for this to become part of the culture" to address modern challenges and the "male-dominated view that still exists in the church and in society."

The small number of female theologians in the church is related to the roles women are offered in the church today, Coda said.

"It's true that women and laypeople are still underrepresented in theology, because theology remains too centred on the formation of presbyters," or priests, he explained.

"The church is woman," Francis told the theologians, "and if we cannot understand what a woman is, what is the theology of women, we will never understand the church.

One of the great sins we have witnessed is ‘masculinizing' the church."

The pope charged those present with the task of reflecting on the role of women in the institution. "This is the job I ask of you, please: Demasculinize the church," he said.

Francis was not able to read his pre-written speech aloud due to an inflammation of the lungs that has hindered his ability to speak and forced him to cancel a papal visit to Dubai for the COP28 environmental summit.

After his off-the-cuff remarks, he told those present that he "spoke too much and it hurt me."

Coda said he was struck by "the spiritual energy and limitless devotion to the church" that the pope showed during the meeting despite his "fragility."

Francis urged theologians to be proponents of an "evangelizing theology."

"It's essential for you theologians to do this in sync with the People of God, from ‘below,' with a preferential eye toward the poor and the simple, and at the same time ‘on your knees,' because theology is born kneeling in adoration to God," Francis said.

Coda said these qualities have always characterized Catholic theological tradition.

"The great theologians weren't people who were locked in ivory towers, they were immersed in the life of the people of God," he said.

On Nov. 8, Francis issued a decree reforming the Pontifical Theological Academy, charged with forming theologians, asking it to embark on "a paradigm shift, a brave cultural revolution," to promote synodality in the church.

• Claire Giangravé - Vatican Correspondent RNS.
• First published in RNS. Republished with permission.

The Commission, which helps establish official Catholic teaching, says canon law should be updated to make it compulsory for parishes to have councils that consult the laity.

An article called "Synodality in the Life of the Church" published on the Commission's website has been approved by Pope Francis.

It expands his vision of using synods to address the major questions facing the Church.

The lay faithful "are the immense majority of the People of God ...

"We have much to learn from their participation in the various expressions of the life and mission of church communities ...

"Of popular piety and of general pastoral care, as well as from their specific expertise in various fields of cultural and social life," the article says.

"This is why consulting them is indispensable in starting the processes of discernment within the framework of synodal structures.

"It is therefore necessary to overcome obstacles represented by a lack of formation and recognised forums in which the lay faithful can express themselves and act, and from a clerical mentality that risks keeping them at the margins of ecclesial life."

The Commission says a synodal attitude and way of being flows naturally from the Second Vatican Council's description of the church as a communion.

The Second Vatican Council emphasised the responsibility of all Catholics for the church's life and mission, although each person has been given different gifts and roles by the Holy Spirit.

The Commission says synodality promotes the baptismal dignity and call of all Catholics and values the presence of different gifts given by the Holy Spirit.

At the same time, it recognises the specific ministry entrusted to pastors and bishops in communion with the pope for the preservation of the faith and the renewal of the church.

The Commission pointed out that synodality is "not a call for some form of a Catholic parliament.

"The pope and the bishops, assisted by their priests, still retain their decision-making authority."

Source

• The Tablet
• Catholic News Service
• Image: MinnPost

In 2003, she published Culture and the Thomist Tradition: After Vatican II, establishing herself as a bold, fresh voice in international Catholic theological circles.

A member of the editorial board of the North American edition of Communio: International Catholic Review, she is also the author of Ratzinger's Faith and Benedict XVI: A Guide for the Perplexed.

Last September, Pope Francis appointed her to the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's International Theological Commission.

Recently, she spoke with CWR about her recent appointment and her work with Australia's Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family.

She also shared her thoughts about the forthcoming 2015 Synod of Bishops, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, Cardinal Pell, the Church in Australia, and other topics.

CWR: In September, Pope Francis made new appointments to the International Theological Commission (ITC). Could you tell us about the ITC and its current projects?

Professor Tracey Rowland: The International Theological Commission was created after the Second Vatican Council in the late 1960s. It comprises 30 members all of whom are professional theologians.

The appointments are for 5 years and during those 5 years the theologians work on producing 3 documents covering topics of current theological significance. The three topics for the next 5 years are: (1), synodality, (2) faith and sacraments and (3) religious freedom.

CWR: Synodality seems to be very important to Pope Francis. Already, he has called two Synods of Bishops. And, he has asked the Orthodox to help us understand better the role of syodality in the life of the Church. Was the topic of synodality proposed by Pope Francis himself? As a theologian, what do you make of his sense of synodality? Why do you think it is an important issue for the ITC to discuss? Continue reading

Source and Image:

• The Catholic World Report

The commission has published a document called "'Sensus Fidei' in the life of the Church".

It has been approved by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Gerhard Muller, and was posted to the Vatican website.

The commission acknowledged there are occasions when the reception of magisterial teaching by the faithful meets with difficulty and resistance.

In these instances, Catholics "must reflect on the teaching that has been given, making every effort to understand and accept it", the commission said.

"Resistance, as a matter of principle, to the teaching of the magisterium is incompatible with the authentic sensus fidei," it continued.

At the same time, the theologians said, "the magisterium must likewise reflect on the teaching that has been given and consider whether it needs clarification or reformulation in order to communicate more effectively the essential message".

The commission defined the sense of the faithful as a spiritual instinct that enables a believer to judge whether a particular teaching or practice is in conformity with the Gospel and apostolic faith.

The document acknowledged "the faithful have an instinct for the truth of the Gospel".

But it said there are situations in which Catholics claim to be relying on that instinct when, in fact, they are promoting deviations from the Christian faith, particularly on moral issues.

Referencing the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, the commission rejected the idea that Catholic laity must blindly obey everything the pope and bishops tell them.

But they emphasised the importance of assuming Church leaders are correct and trying to understand teachings.

Prayer, regularly receiving the sacraments, studying and being an active member of the Catholic community, are needed before claiming to be able to discern that a church teaching needs adjustment, they added.

The commission also noted that in the history of the People of God, it has often been not the majority, but rather a minority which has truly lived and witnessed to the faith.

In a recent US survey of 16,582 Catholics, only one per cent accepted the Church's teaching on artificial contraception in its entirety.

Sources

• Catholic News Service
• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: Gerasene Writers Conference