Let the ‘lobbying’ for progress in the Catholic Church over women priests, and more, continue
In an interview with Crux (published on 2 August 2024), Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, relator general of the synod, addresses the issue of calls for the increased involvement of women in church leadership and governance, including calls for the women’s diaconate. He asserts that “lobbying” should not be tolerated. “When discussing hot-button issues such as women in the church it is important not to be a lobby group”, the Cardinal says. “Lobbying is not part of church culture; it should not be. We have other tools, like prayer, discussion, listening to each other.”
The cardinal then reveals what worries him. “When it comes to the issue of women, the situation is not the same in all the continents . . . In the synod, of course you have people at the right, people at the left, and so on.” And he then cautions: “(We should be) people committed to real dialogue through the methodology of conversation in the Spirit. I think it’s very important to give ourselves that methodology and not to be a lobby group.”
While accepting the cardinal’s concerns, I respectfully disagree with his judgment. Does the cardinal not realise that major reforms have never happened in the Church without lobbying for change?
When banking started in Europe, the Church forbade businesses to take interest on money loans. The Second Council of the Lateran (1139 A. D.) prescribed that persons who take interest “be not admitted to the sacraments”. And: “In case they do not retract their error, they should be refused an ecclesiastical burial.” The prohibition was based on the condemnation of usury in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. However, those texts deal with lenders exploiting the poor. It was not understood that modern capital investments are like land entrusted to tenants for which the landowner can legitimately ask a share of the produce (see Mt 21,33-41). The magisterium only revoked the prohibition in 1830, after intense lobbying by businessmen and theologians. During the preceding six centuries many Catholic bankers and their families lived and died outside the Church.
Until at least 1854, the official teaching of the Church was that there was no salvation outside the Church. Pope Boniface VIII solemnly defined in 1302: “We declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff”. And the Council of Florence declared in 1442, under Pope Eugene IV: “The Holy Roman Church … firmly believes, professes and preaches that no-one remaining outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews, heretics or schismatics, can become partakers of eternal life; but they will go to the ‘eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels’ (Mt 25,41), unless before the end of their life they are received into it . . . No one can be saved, even if he sheds his blood for the name of Christ, unless he remains in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church”. Under pressure from ecumenists and missionaries, the Church began to modify its teaching in the 19th century, stating that one could belong to the Church also “in desire” and that this sufficed for salvation. Vatican II completed this process by clearly stating that there is salvation for those outside the Church, “all those who seek God with a sincere heart” (Lumen Gentium) and that their various religions are also, to some extent, means of salvation (Nostra Aetate).
Pope Leo IV (847 – 855) forbade women to sing in church choirs. This gradually became a permanent norm. Castrated men took the place of women to sing high-pitched notes. Pope Pius X reiterated the prohibition in 1907/1908. “Women should not be part of a choir; they belong to the ranks of the laity. Separate women’s choirs too are totally forbidden, except for serious reasons and with permission of the bishop . . . Any mixed choir of men and women (in church), even if they stand far from the sanctuary, is totally forbidden.” Lobbying, especially by French bishops, brought a gradual relaxation. In 1958 Pope Pius XII cautiously sanctioned female choristers, though only “outside the presbytery or the altar precincts”. The 1983 Code of Church Law states that women can be choristers “by temporary deputation” (Canon 230, §2).
And what about this? Until 1888 the Popes and their curial offices defended the legitimacy of slavery! From the 15th to the 19th centuries Pope after Pope condoned colonising Portugal and Spain to capture and exploit slaves in South America. When slavery had already been abolished in most Western countries, the Congregation for Doctrine in Rome still declared on 20 June 1866: “Slavery itself, considered as such in its essential nature, is not at all contrary to the natural law or God’s law. There can be several just titles of slavery . . . It is not contrary to the natural and divine law for a slave to be sold, bought, exchanged or given”. Under pressure by horrified Catholic emancipationists, Pope Leo III (1888) condemned slavery in more general terms. The 1918 Code of Church Law promulgated by Pope Benedict XV denounced ‘selling any person as a slave’, however a condemnation of ‘owning’ slaves was lacking. The Church had to wait till 1965 for the Second Vatican Council to declare slavery an infringement of basic human rights (Gaudium et Spes, no 27,29,67).
Many more examples can be given.
The discussion on lobbying is quite relevant at the moment. A synodal petition to Pope Francis has been launched that asks for the immediate restoration of the sacramental diaconate for women as was practiced during the first millennium. The petition will be handed in person to the Pope’s office and synodal administrators at the start of the next gathering of the October session of the Synod in Rome. The petition has already been signed by 34 reform organizations of 18 countries from all continents. See the petition here: https://www.equalityforwomen.org/ .
Lobbying is unavoidable in the synodal process lobbying is unavoidable. It is nothing else than expressing one’s views strongly. The Church, the “People of God”, is a community. It is natural for individuals to bind their views and their voices. Moreover, polls have consistently shown that the majority of educated Catholics firmly believe that women should be ordained. Is this belief not a revelation of the “sense of faith” which, as Vatican II declared, is the ultimate source of the Church’s inerrancy (Lumen Gentium, no 12)?
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