A commentary by Jon Rosebank Practised with humility,” write the bishops in their final document from the 2024 Assembly (47), “the synodal style enables the Church to be a prophetic voice in today’s world.” We live, they write, “in an age marked by ever-increasing inequalities” and by “disenchantment with the functioning of democracy.” Students of…
Luca Attanasio speaks with the theologian and lecturer “The Church is a woman,’ Pope Francis had said exactly one year ago in his audience to members of the International Theological Commission. “And one of the great sins we have had,” he had added, “is ‘masculinising’ the Church. In a concrete attempt to reduce the prevailing…
KNA Archbishop Scicluna of Malta has warned against using the methods of the World Synod’s spiritual dialogue – an alternation of speaking and meditation without direct discussion – everywhere in the Church: “If, for example, I have to deal with financial experts for the audit of the Archdiocese of Malta, I don’t need to have…
Letter from Asia Nirmala Carvalho (CRUX) According to Japanese Cardinal-elect Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, the political situation in Myanmar “is still not stable,” when marking Myanmar Day on November 17. Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Loikaw was present at the event. He had to abandon his cathedral in Kayah State due to the fighting…
Justin McLellan (CNS) Doubling down on the centrality of synodality in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis said that it is now up to local churches to accept and implement proposals from the final document approved the Synod of Bishops on synodality. Approved by the Pope, the synod’s final document “participates in the ordinary magisterium…
US bishops: Synodality requires conversion of heart more than new structuresJonathan Liedl Promoting synodality in the United States depends more on a conversion of heart than on the creation of new structures, the US bishops emphasised at their fall assembly in Baltimore. “It’s about cultural change, not necessarily structural change or not necessarily canonical…
Bishop Michael Router The recent synod entitled For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission, which came to a conclusion on October 27, led the Church through three years of reflection and discernment. Its final document outlines a blueprint for action that will help all of us who are baptised to take responsibility for…
Eoin McCormack in a conversation with Theological expert to the Synod Fr Eamonn Conway As the second and final session of the Synod came to close on Sunday with a Mass presided over by Pope Francis in St Peter’s Basilica, he reflected in his homily on what he described as “the urgency of evangelisation…[We need]…
Recently elected Bishop of Down and Connor, Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ spoke with Sr Denise Boyle, an Irish Franciscan sister who is the Director of the Global Action Programme of Mercy International Association about the impact of synodality on the Church’s mission, the role he played at the Synod in Rome as an elected member…
The leader of the Green Party and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, referenced the Church’s synodal process as he paid tribute to late former Taoiseach John Bruton. Speaking in the Dáil last Wednesday, the TD reminisced about Mr Bruton’s life and political legacy, describing him as “a Christian democrat”. “He was a Christian democrat. I…
Brandon Scott