Pope Francis Sunday announced that his ongoing Synod of Bishops on Synodality will be extended for an additional year, to allow, as he put it, more time for discernment and a greater understanding of the concept as a key dimension of church life.
As things now stand, bishops and other participants will gather for an initial meeting of the synod Oct. 4-29, 2023, in Rome, to be followed by a year of reflection, with another culminating meeting set for October 2024.
Though notoriously difficult to define, “synodality” is generally understood to refer to a collaborative and consultative style of management in which all members, clerical and lay, participate in making decisions about the church’s life and mission.
Speaking to pilgrims following his Oct. 16 Angelus address, Pope Francis noted that the first stage of the synod, which holds the theme, “For a synodal Church: Communion, participation, mission,” opened last October, and that since then, the process has been moving forward “in the particular churches, with listening and discernment.”
The pope voiced confidence that this decision will “foster understanding of synodality as a constitutive dimension of the Church, and help everyone to live it in a journey of brothers and sisters who bear witness to the joy of the Gospel.”
Formally opened by Pope Francis with an Oct. 10, 2021, Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the synod, typically a month-long meeting of bishops at the Vatican, has been re-conceived in this instance as a multi-stage process beginning with a local consultation carried out among pastors and faithful around the world.
The diocesan phase lasted from October 2021 to April 2022, and was designed as a consultative process that took place according to certain guidelines issued by the Synod of Bishops. A second, continental phase, began in September and will last through March 2023, when continental bishops’ conferences will coordinate and evaluate the results of the diocesan consultations.
For the United States, which does not belong to a continental conference of the bishops, that second phase will consist of a meeting between American and Canadian bishops.
A final, universal phase was set to conclude the process during next year’s Oct. 4-29 gathering in Rome, but with Pope Francis’s announcement Sunday, that universal phase is now extended to 2024….
The above comes from an Oct. 16 posting in Crux.
He noticed that nobody understood it.
Pope’s Intention for October:
We pray for the Church; ever faithful to, and courageous in preaching the Gospel, may the Church be a community of solidarity, fraternity and welcome, always living in an atmosphere of synodality.
Very poor leader in Christianity. Ambiguity, confusion, instead of Christ’s Truth. Synod? Mission? Pilgrimage? Journey? “Joy of the Gospel?” Explain clearly, state the Truth. Get out your Bible and the Catechism… start reading, explain to the world, evangelize, tell Christ’s Truth– the “Great Commission”…now, where is it?
When the Pope says something that you do not understand, you take it to the Lord.
Pray over it.
I think you are being impatient.
This synod stuff is difficult for us to understand because we are not as advanced in the supernatural life as the Pope.
This is all about the Great Commission, about preaching the Gospel.
I may not know what he means by solidarity (I am assuming that it means obey the Lord and the Church) fraternity (I assume he means thinking of other Catholics as brothers in Christ) and welcome (I welcome everyone’s conversion and so does the Pope).
I think most of the people who post here are faithful Catholics but they get left behind because they are afraid that the Pope means something sinister.
“When the Pope says something that you do not understand, you take it to the Lord. Pray over it. Most faithful Catholics, your advice is good, but we have an unusual situation in the Vatican. With the promulgation of Amoris Laetitia, four Cardinals, Brandmüller, Burke, Caffarra and Meisner issued to him on September 16, 2016 a request for clarity (the dubia) but Pope Francis has refused to answer them. A direct reply would have been in keeping with the papal office as the pope’s job is to maintain and defend the deposit of faith and to do so requires great clarity. It is doubtful, therefore, that P. Francis has refused to answer the dubia because he is more advanced in the supernatural life. Speaking of this, we have no window into the pope’s soul so as to calibrate how advanced he is in the spiritual life– only his outward deeds give indication of the spiritual depth inside. And those deeds (and everyone else’s) will be judged by Jesus on that Great Day.
It was not a request for clarity. I knew the answers and so did they.
This synod is meant to rubber stamp non-Catholic ideas into the Church. Grow up people, sin and immorality can’t ever be ok.
What does it mean “to synod?” It means to walk together: syn-od.
This is what it means in Greek: “to walk together” and to walk on the same road.
And this is what God expects of the Church of the third millennium-that it regain its awareness of being a people on the road and of walking together
A Church with this synodal style is a Church that listens, that knows that listening is more than just hearing.
It means listening to each other in our diversity and opening doors to those outside the Church.
It is not about gathering opinions nor holding a parliament.
The synod is not a survey; it is about listening to the protagonist, the Holy Spirit.
It’s about praying. Without prayer, there will be no synod.
Let us take advantage of this opportunity to be a church of closeness, which is God’s style-closeness.
And let us give thanks to all the people of God who with their attentive listening are walking the synodal way.
Let us pray that the Church, ever faithful to the Gospel, and courageous in preaching it, may live in an increasing atmosphere of synodality and be a community of solidarity, community and welcome.
Very eloquent and beautiful to read, and I thank you such an inspiring contribution. If I were to read but one description of the synodal way, this would be it.
But one question: When you write “It means listening to each other in our diversity and opening doors to those outside the Church,” the words “diversity” and “opening doors” can mean just about anything you want these to mean. Fr. James Martin S.J., claiming inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would run with these words in one direction; C. Burke in another. This might be the reason P. Francis wants more time. What do you think?
This is a transcription from the Pope’s video. It is the words of Pope Francis.
You can find it on the Apostleship of Prayer website.
As to your question: I know there are some who will interpret it that way. i will not try to say what the Pope might have meant.
I think the article is very incorrect in its definition of synod.
Though notoriously difficult to define, “synodality” is generally understood to refer to a collaborative and consultative style of management in which all members, clerical and lay, participate in making decisions about the church’s life and mission.
Synod will continue until Synodality improves…. /sarc
Outstanding!
Here is a link to a very good interview with Cardinal Muller, from LifeSiteNews:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/episodes/cardinal- muller-defies-globalist-lgbt-agenda-in-bombshell-interview/?utm_source=catholics-cdl-muller
Here is a much better, direct link to Cardinal Muller’s interview with LifeSiteNews:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/cdl-muller-urges-catholics-to-stay-firm-in-the-truth-as-lgbt-lunacy-takes-over-the-church/
Would someone advise the German bishops, Cardinals Cupich and McElroy, LMU, some others and Rev. James Martin SJ that the 10 Commandments and the teachings of Christ will still be the same in 2024?
As the first pope, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, “the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached to you.”
They all know that, Dorothy.
Sorry, I misnamed you, Donthay.
I forgive you. Besides, I don’t self-identify as easily offended. And, we both know we’re not in Kansas anymore.
The pope recently appointed Mariana Mazzucato, a self-described atheist snd enthusiastic pro abortion supporter, as well as an economics professor and member of the World Econoic Forum, to the Pontifical Academy for Life. Why does he keep appointing such people to very serious Catholic endeavors, in the Vatican?
Mazzucato is a professor of economics whose writings on the subject struck the Pope because of her thinking, which, according to the Pope, is “not ideological, [but] which moves beyond the polarization of free market capitalism and state socialism, and which has at its heart a concern that all of humanity have access to land, lodging and labor.” Therefore Pope Francis didn’t appoint Mazzucato because of her purported atheism or even support for abortion.
If she advocated white supremacy, she never would have been appointed, despite her other views. Get real. The pope doesn’t care about abortion and he doesn’t seem to care about theism.
Pope Francis should never have appointed Mazzucato. Her support for abortion and atheism are all we need to know about her “humanity”. His appointment of this woman over another highly credentialed woman of deep faith is absolutely reprehensible.
Ladies and Gentlemen: The comments above from “Axiom” and “doesn’t care” if you read them carefully are unjust and irrational, plus most possibly also disdainful of the man whom God has appointed to lead His Church. For example, that Pope Francis “doesn’t care” about abortion? That’s a lie. And “Axiom’s” comment? It doesn’t prove why Mazzucato can’t be consulted upon on matters of economics, social programs, and such matters.
The Roman Catholic Church has no need at all of non-Catholics, atheists, pro abortionists, heretics, etc. etc. Very stupid appointment of Mazzucato and many other atheists, heretics, pro abortionists, non-Catholics, etc.etc. to Church-related positions in the Vatican. No, the Pontifical Axademy for Life– originated by Pope St. John Paul II— was NOT intended for such non-Catholic, worldly CORRUPTION and EVILS!! Yes, all the Catholic news agencies reported that Mazzucato was appointed by the pope. Amd yes, the Holy Spirit is eternally with Christ’s Church– but not all Church leaders listen and obey the Holy Spirit… human beings are weak and sinful, and have the gift of Free Will… God depends on their decision to listen to Him and obey Him. God does not force.
The pope praised the evil appointnent of non-Catholic, atheist, strongly pro abortion Mazzucato– while God’s poor little children, awaiting their horrific slayings in their mommies’ wombs, cried out to God– “why, Lord? Why? Who in Your Church will defend us and save us from our death sentences of a horrifically brutal, bloody slaying?”
Pope Francis did not appoint her.
https://www.ncregister.com/blog/pal-appoints-mariana-mazzucato
me– Read the article from “National Catholic Register.” Note how Pope Francis praised the appointment of the evil Mazzucato. A strong pro-abort, atheist, non-Catholic appointed to the holy Pontifical Academy for Life of Pope St. John Paul II– is beyond sickening and Satanic!
These people who are thrashing Mazzucato are just hilarious. Hilarious. As if one person is going to change the course of the Church. Please. Firstly: Mazzucato wasn’t appointed for her atheism nor for her purported support of abortion. She’s an economist concerned about people’s access to the basics. Secondly, there are currently about 162 members of the Academy. Do you people really believe that the course of the Academy and the Church will be swayed by the voice of one Mazzucato? Hilarious. Members include Cardinal Eijk and Lord Nicholas Windsor both of whom are strong supporters of life? Mazzucato’s will only be one voice among 161 others, And debate is good in an Academy. Thirdly, do you folks know that the Academy is also comprised of a Jewish Rabbi and an Anglican cleric? The reason for appointing a diverse membership is because the vitally important cause of human Life is not only a concern of the Catholic Church, but globally. ALL people from all backgrounds is concerned for human life whether he be an economist, an atheist, a Protestant, royalty, etc. Fourth: people who do not support the fullness of the Church’s teaching about Life have no moral standing to be criticizing Mazzucato’s appointment. For example, if you do not support the Church’s teaching against the death penalty as a violation of the dignity of human life, you have no moral ground to be attacking the appointment of Mazzucato. Straight up.
Learn your lesson. She had one tweet where she called herself an atheist and one tweet where she liked an anti-Dobbs rant by someone else.
I pray that her appointment to the Pontifical Academy for Life will have her think more about these things (if they are actually her views.)
I pray that Christians stop looking for faults in others and stop the tribal Catholicism and learn to be more Christian.
“Hilarious!” Satanic views, jon. Simply Satanic. Why don’t you join 40 Days for Life, led by the fine Catholic Pro Life leader, Shawn Carney? — and hush up with your “hilarity”– sickening. Corrupt.
Straight up jon , she does not respect life or the magisterium.
I say, “me” gets my second degree praise (“high praises”) in my four-tier “praise scale.” Why? “me” is totally right: being a member of that Academy with the strong, illustrious, and pro-life Catholic members there (such as Cardinal Eijk and Lord Nicholas Windsor) may very well cause her conversion or at least cause her to re-think her views. People, the truth is more powerful than lies. Holiness is more powerful than evil. How can one Mazzucato with her errors possibly sway the strong pro-life people in the Academy to change course? You people should really stop judging uncharitably. Plus, you people should ask for more faith. Really. Congratulations “me.”
You have no idea of what “Catholic” or “Pro Life” means. Highly secularized, extremely hostile, ignorant, mixed-up generation of misfits.
Can’t you just disagree with someone without having to completely negate them?
It’s pride and an inferiority complex that cause some people to go way overboard in judgmentally berating other commenters. They try “shock and awe” commenting because putting others down makes them feel good about themselves, makes them feel superior; they take delight in trampling over other people with words.
I don’t think I found the key to the matrix on this but I may be found a piece of the puzzle.
An Italian man who was staying in the US for a few months said that he found Americans to be superficial.
A lot of diocese just took surveys on how old you were, how often you went to Church, whether you believed in the Eucharist and if you found the Church welcoming.
The preparatory document talked about journeying together. Americans don’t journey. If you hear about journeying in America, it is usually about an interior process like a spiritual journey.
Most American Catholics did not participate. Some who did had agendas of their own.
For some Catholics, the same subject is always on their mind. Gay outreach, pro-choice politicians getting communion, Vatican II wrecked the church, the Tridentine Mass is superior to the ordinary form of the Roman Rite. No matter what subject is being discussed, they bring their own issues into it.
“A Synod means walking together. That’s when you have two people walking where the first person walks together with the second person, and the second person walks together with the first person, and all together walking they walk. Then together, or not together, they can walk with other people . . . together, and so on and so forth.”
– Kamala Harris
That’s was a great chuckle. Take your upvote.
Under Francis we have
an upsurge in the unnatural.
We don’t even have “old fashioned” sins.
Now, we gotta “Sin Odd.”
Judie Brown, of the American Life League, served on the Pontifical Academy for Life (founded in 1994 by Pope St. John Paul II) for many years. She is heartsick at the leftward drift of today’s Vatican, and the horrific appointnent of Mariana Mazzucato to the Academy. Here is a link to an excellent article about it:
https://afn.net/church/2022/10/19/pro-life-group-disturbed-pope-supports-abortion-supporting-atheist/
Charlie Butts wrote that, not Judie Brown.
And lets remember there are 172 members of the Pontifical Academy for Life.
She is not going to influence the pro-life or faith of the group.
Don’t be a smart-aleck. Judie Brown, now age 78, is a prominent, devout Catholic, and lifelong Pro Life leader– unlike evil Mazzucato and others at the Pontifical Academy for Life. Judie Brown and her husband, Paul (recently deceased) founded the oldest grassroots Catholic anti-abortion activist organization in the United States, American Life League. Judie served at the Pontifical Academy for Life, and has authored 12 books. Judie is a great, highly influential, well-respected, international Catholic Pro Life leader! The article comes from a prominent, non-Catholic, non-denominational, excellent Christian faith and family source, very devoted to Pro Life and Christian (man-woman) Marriage, based in Washington, D.C. They have survived bonb threats/attacks, and actual terrorist attacks, in Washington, D.C., also, for their fine work for God, faith and family..
Reply to person, why are coming unglued over an attribution of the correct author?
Correct author? Of what, “unglued?”
Of the article at afn. The original post was unclear on who the author was.
Here is a link to today’s news story, from LifeSiteNews, about the renewal of the Vatican-China “secretive deal:”
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-vatican-again-renews-deal-allowing-chinese-communist-party-say-over-bishop-selection/
Reply to shock and awe …. Yes, you are right. There is a malicious poster on this site whose soul purpose is to demean others while ennobling himself. It’s a classic case of a self-esteem issue which morphs into self-aggrandizement.
The poster’s name is jon.
Reminds me of the story I heard in a sermon about St. John the Evangelist. He gave the same sermon every Sunday. “Love one another.” he would say. When someone asked him “Why don’t you preach about something else? All you ever say is “Love one another.” St. John allegedly said “When you have mastered loving one another, we will go on to something else.”
I agree. Calling others Satanists, misfits, smart-aleck, ignorant, corrupt, and other put-downs has no place in a Catholic site.
“I agree”, I couldn’t agree with you more. You hit the nail right on the head. Calling others by those names certainly has no place here, yet those names were used by sundry commentators above to “attack” the individual. I however only criticize arguments, points-of-view, and opinions, which is how it should be. When a person has lost an argument, such a person resorts to name-calling, as you can see above. No self-aggrandizement here on my part, folks. Just stating the truth.