We Are Church International welcomes the process leading to the ecclesiastical assembly in 2028 in Rome as set out in the Press Release by Cardinal Mario Grech dated 15 March 2025. This places the focus on Local Churches to implement Synodality in their different contexts and introducing concrete reforms.

In particular the Local Churches must now implement structures that ensure that the entire community are involved in all essential decisions – and not just in an advisory capacity. These structures must show clearly how lay people and particularly women, who all have the same baptismal dignity as clerics, will share equality in decision taking and administering the church.

We are Church International calls for transparent processes to be adopted for the selection of lay participants at assemblies and synods. Clerics should be responsible for selecting clerical representatives and Lay people should be responsible for selecting lay representatives.

We are Church International calls for the decisions of the ecclesial assembly to have deliberative power.

We are Church International notes that the June 2025 deadline will not be met by all the Study groups. Regarding the ordination of women to ministries we see this as a continuation of many decades of discrimination against women, always searching for new excuses why only men are called to serve, when Jesus clearly called women and men.

Press contacts:

Colm Holmes, Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +353 86606 3636

Dr Martha Heizer, Vice-Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +43 650 4168500