Meeting of the Commissions of the General Secretariat of the Synod

Rome, Casa La Salle, 25-29 April 2022

 As, in different parts of the world, the listening sessions of the People of God draw to a close and the various ecclesial instances begin to pull the strings of their communal discernment, the members (about 60) of the four commissions (Theological, Spirituality, Methodological, Communication) of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops met in Rome to deepen some aspects of the reference document of the synodal journey: the 2018 Apostolic Constitution, Episcopalis Communio.
 
"I ask you to harmonise Episcopalis Communio with the synodal process that has begun. Not to harmonise the ongoing process with the Apostolic Constitution. We must have the courage to imagine, to follow the Spirit that guides the Church in the rediscovery of its synodal dimension," said Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, opening the meeting.
 
During the five days of work, the participants discussed some of the key points that have emerged during the journey so far: the sensus fidei fidelium, i.e. the contribution of the faith of the People of God to the ecclesial magisterium; episcopal collegiality and the Petrine (Papal) primacy in relation to ecclesial synodality; the relationship between discernment and ecclesial consensus; and the consultative or deliberative nature of synodal assemblies.
Particular attention was also given to the missionary dimension of the Church and its synodal structures.
 
The work, carried out in an atmosphere of fraternity and sharing, was marked by moments of prayer, plenary sessions and group work.
 
The content of the various working sessions will be published in due course in order to share the reflections carried out with the Church as a whole.

We are Church on the occasion of Joseph Ratzinger's 95th birthday 16 April 2022

15 April 2022 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, former Pope Benedict XVI, has had a greater influence on the teaching and actions of the post-conciliar Church as a theologian and Church leader than any other theologian or Pope. His influence in Rome spanned 31 years (1982-2005 as Prefect of the Faith under Pope John Paul II, 2005-2013 as Pope Benedict XVI).

While as a young adviser he helped shape the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), he later proved to be a theologian frozen by fear and mistrust, limiting and partly blocking the ambivalent reform impulses of the Council.

Even after his surprising but admirable resignation in 2013, he spoke out several times and in a problematic way, contrary to his own earlier assurances. With his recent statements on the second Munich abuse report, he has damaged his own reputation as a theologian and church leader of integrity. It is to be hoped that even now, in his old age, he would be able to make a personal apology for his actions or inactions as Archbishop of Munich (1977-1982).

On the theology of Joseph Ratzinger:

Hermann Häring: "In the Name of the Lord. Where the Pope leads the Church" (Gütersloh 2009)", 192 pages, ISBN-13: 978-3579064932

Colm Holmes
Chair, We Are Church International
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M +353 86 606 3636

We need a new Church Constitution for the People of God

Despite Pope Francis’ best efforts, the new rules for the curia “Praedicate Evangelium” (PE) confirm the tight grip the curia have on power.

We welcome the clear statement in PE that lay women or men can now be appointed to lead most dicasteries, even the powerful Secretariat of State. But the main problem with PE is that the curia continues to undermine Pope Francis’ efforts at reform.

As one commentator noted new laws by Pope Francis are regarded as Press Releases which can be ignored:

Example: In December 2020 Pope Francis ordered all financial affairs to come under the control of the Secretariat of the Economy; but this has not happened. The Secretariat of State is holding on to its financial assets.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF) now becomes a Dicastery (DDF) but retains its powers:

Example: The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors now comes under the full control of the DDF, thus losing all semblance of independence as Marie Collins points out.

What is needed is a new Constitution for the People of God to take charge of governance - a Charter of Fundamental Rights and Responsibilities in the church. Pope Paul VI started work on such a fundamental paper but the work was never completed.

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An opinion from Noi Siamo Chiesa: Riforma della Curia: dopo nove anni una riforma nella linea della continuità. Testo inglese e , di seguito, testo italiano

Church and sexual abuse of minors has long been an issue. But in addition to the paedophilia scandals, other revelations are shaking the Catholic Church: allegations from across the world of nuns being sexually abused by priests. In February 2019, Pope Francis acknowledged the abuse for the first time. This documentary gives an insight into an issue in the Catholic Church that has remained largely unreported.

Director : Eric Quintin Marie-Pierre Raimbault Country :

France

Year : 2017

From Arte

Available until 10 May 2022.

We Are Church International (WAC) offers its contribution to Synod 2021-2023 "For a Synodal Church : Communion, Participation, and Mission "in light of the Preparatory Document and, in particular, the "Ten Thematic Nuclei to be Explored".

To-day, in our Catholic Church, the "journeying together", that «enacts and manifests the nature of the Church as the pilgrim and missionary People of God» (PD 1) and “allows the Church to proclaim the Gospel” (PD 2), is realized in a very weak and defective way because :

a) the hierarchical dimension and the concentration of power in the ordained ministers generate a systemic separation between them and the laity who are merely executors,

b) there are few examples of synodality since the councils that do exist (pastoral, presbyteral, etc.) are then merely consultative, and

c) the few successful achievements of synodality are linked to the personality, ideas and availability of open-minded ordained ministers. But they are subject to his will and often disappear when he moves on.

All this generated a “culture imbued with clericalism … and with those forms of exercising authority on which the different types of abuse (power, economic, conscience, sexual) are grafted. " (PD 6). To remedy this, the Church must convert to synodality and have faith/trust in the Spirit who always leads his Church.

To grow in synodality, the Church must respond to the Spirit's invitation to become a more community-based Church of brothers and sisters, equal in their life as disciple, an "inclusive" Church capable of "recognizing and appreciating the richness and variety of gifts and charisms" of its members, including the least of these, a Church that credits them with their good faith and must become accustomed to living in the pluralism of ideas (PD 9). This requires in particular:

a) opening of all ministries to those who are currently excluded (women, married men, LGBTQ+ persons, etc.) according to their competence and charisma,

b) relationship of equality between all members of the Church whatever their responsibility are since they are sisters and brothers. This means in the present situation relationship of equality between laity and clergy, even at the level of decision-making,

c) revision of governance, including the separation of powers,

d) establishment of small ecclesial communities (promoted by Vatican II, see also EG 29)

e) the abolition of all kinds of sanctifications/ ordinations, only assignments/commissions, gladly in solemn form

All this would be in keeping with the Gospel and the situation in the early Church and at the same time it would be the decisive way out of the current Church crisis, to promote a discipleship of equal brothers and sisters taking on different responsibilities for the community in different ministries/services.

This involves promoting:

a) training in synodality,

b) the creation of synodical structures, including the creation of particular synods to settle disputes, especially when the “depositum fidei” is at stake, whose existence is not left to the will and sensibility of the clergy and whose functioning expresses co-responsibility and not a simple consultative character;

c) the definition of procedures to prevent the sensus fidei fidelium from being left to the good will or sensitivity of priests and bishops; this implies the establishment of academic freedom for Catholic theological researchers;

d) the establishment of new structures (national and continental ecclesial assemblies, patriarchates or continental episcopal conferences, ;etc.);

e) the establishment of structural forms of consultation, exchange and comparison with other Christian Churches;

f) the creation of a new legal system with separation of powers, participation in decision-making and independent control of power.

Read the full contribution - English

Read the full contribution - French

Read the full contribution - German