The Synod Office have received 104 National Syntheses out of the 114 Bishops conferences from around the world. But less than 50% of these National Syntheses are publicly available!
While the Synod Office “strongly recommended” that each Diocesan Syntheses should be made public, they left it to the individual bishop’s conferences to decide whether to publish their National Syntheses or not. And over 50% have reverted to their traditional position of SECRECY. The majority wish to avoid transparency and accountability.
Pope Francis’ Synodal process had proposed listening at the grassroots level: From communities to parishes to diocese to country to continent to global synod. But it appears the majority of bishops prefer to mold their National Syntheses to their personal liking, rather than reflecting what the Holy Spirit is saying through the people of God. The synodal process should be transparent at all stages.
The Continental Syntheses now being prepared are to be reviewed in each country, which provides some scope for checking manipulation. Hopefully the committees will be free to speak openly where they identify manipulations.
The Synod in October 2023 is to be made up of 300 men and 1 woman. That should be changed by Pope Francis to 300 men and 300 women. That would show a clear move towards the “inverted pyramid” Pope Francis has spoken about.
Colm Holmes
Chair, We Are Church International
E
M +353 86 606 3636