How to be a Synodal Missionary Church
Next October's synodal gathering will focus on “the identity of the synodal People of God in mission”
The former president of Ireland, Dr Mary McAleese accused Pope Francis of robbing October’s Synod of “freedom of speech and an open agenda on two live issues” – women and LGBTIQ+ relationships, which she described as “manifestly of wide concern among the faithful”.
She said women and LGBTIQ+ had endured “emphatic dismissal of their cases” by Pope Francis with regard to ordination to the diaconate and priesthood, and blessings for same sex married catholic couples.
Speaking on Newstalk Radio in Ireland, McAleese said: “The issue of leadership of women in the Church is off the synodal agenda and has been sent to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith for them to prepare a report. Which means it’s back in the hands of a bunch of men again – clerical men.”
She was speaking after the Vatican’s Synod Office published the Instrumentum Laboris or working document for the forthcoming Synod of Synodality in October.
It says the focus of the gathering will be “the identity of the synodal People of God in mission” and the tangible shape this takes in “the relationships, paths and places where the everyday life of the Church takes place”.
While the 2023 session had responded to the question “How does a synodal Church describe itself?” the second session is to consider “How to be a synodal Church in mission?”
Issued on 9 July, the document said that “matters of consideration” upon which delegates failed to agree during the initial synod assembly last October would not be addressed during the Synod but “at the level of the local Church” and also by the 10 study groups formed in February. One group, for example, will contribute to the “maturation” of the issue of ordaining women as deacons.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales hailed the document’s title “How to be a missionary, Synodal, Church,” as “significant,” saying “The themes underlying the document are summed up in those two words: to be missionary and Synodal.” Nichols praised the document’s “firmness of foundations, refreshing perspectives and concrete pathways for development.” He explained the document’s’ “purpose” as being “to rekindle hope… spark renewal in discipleship [and] restore a missionary outreach in the Church on the basis of our common baptism.”
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