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…
Women from Asia took centre stage at the Synod. For the first time they took part in the assembly, and they were a large group, as many as 12. A consecrated woman from Japan, Momoko Nishimura, was among the presidents delegated by the Pope. Then there were four lay women from Hong Kong, Myanmar, the…
Deacon Dominic Cerrato In recent years, the Catholic Church in Germany embarked on an ambitious and controversial project known as the “German Synodal Way”. This initiative, which sought to address various issues within the Church, including governance, the role of women, and the Church’s teaching on sexuality, has stirred significant attention and debate within…
Bishop Robert Barron has said that he is in “frank disagreement” with the final report of the Synod on Synodality’s claim that advances in the sciences require an evolution in the Church’s moral teaching on human sexuality. In a recently published reflection, the US bishop of Winona–Rochester, Minnesota, said it is “troubling” to see how members…
The first report of the Synod on Synodality makes for very interesting reading. The second session of the synod will be in 2024. Of the 364 voting delegates who attended 50 were women. While one woman for every seven men was a very distinct under-representation, it was a very significant improvement on previous practice and…
Russell Shaw Levelling hierarchical distinctions in the Church without removing them entirely has emerged as a principal objective of Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality. That is perhaps the chief conclusion to be drawn from the first session of the synod, which took place October 4-29 at the Vatican. The second, and presumably last, session will…
Jonathan Luxmoore The president of the Polish bishops’ conference has bitterly criticised demands for liberal change by the Church in neighbouring Germany and urged the Pope not to allow them to dominate the Rome Synod on Synodality. “Awareness of the power of truth sustains my hope for the ongoing synod – that it won’t be…
A leading expert on the Pope’s worldwide consultation of Catholics on the future of the Church has criticised former president Mary McAleese for her reaction to the process. Prof. Massimo Faggioli, professor of theology at Villanova University in the US, was speaking after Mrs McAleese expressed the view that the document from the month-long first…
Recently I spent a few days in Rome with two friends who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful experience as the Eternal City always seems to tick so many of the boxes that make for a great holiday. My abiding memory of this recent trip will be one of ‘queueing’. We…
Brandon Scott
Nuala O’Loan