Catholic World News

Synod, October 18: some delegates angered by Cardinal Fernández’s absence from dialogue

October 21, 2024

On the afternoon of October 18, participants in the second and final session of the synod on synodality had the opportunity to engage in dialogue with members of study groups that are examining some of the controversial issues raised during the synod’s October 2023 session.

Absent from the meeting was Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. His absence, according to the National Catholic Reporter, provoked “outrage“—even though nine days earlier, he had announced that he would be sending two of the dicastery’s staff members to the meeting, presumably in his place.

“One delegate reported that the [October 18] meeting, which took place in the Vatican’s old synod hall, was attended by approximately one-third of the synodal assembly, including multiple high-ranking cardinals and Vatican officials,” the Reporter stated, adding:

One delegate, who requested anonymity, citing the synod’s communication guidelines, described his absence as a “disgrace.” Another called the meeting a “disaster” for the synod.

Study groups

In February, Pope Francis created ten study groups to explore some of the issues raised during the October 2023 synod session; the fifth study group is devoted to “some theological and canonical matters regarding specific ministerial forms.” The study groups are expected to finish their work by June 2025.

On October 2, the opening day of the current synod session, representatives of study groups updated synod participants on their work. In this context, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, revealed that his dicastery is preparing a document on women and ministry.

Synod organizers then altered the synod’s schedule for October 18 to allow for dialogue between study group members and synod participants. On October 9, Cardinal Fernández said that the work of the fifth study group had been entrusted to his dicastery; he also invited synod participants to share their thoughts on women and ministry orally or in writing and said that two theologians from his dicastery would be present on October 18.

The Pillar reported that “the dicastery staffers at the [October 18] meeting seemed to have been provided little information on the study group, did not offer meaningful comments on the subject, and could not answer questions about the study group’s process, provoking increased frustration among attendees.” Despite Cardinal Fernández’s October 9 statement that he would send two dicastery officials to the October 18 meeting, synod participants said that “it was not widely understood that Fernández would not be in attendance, and that “expectations for the meeting were not well-managed by synod organizers.”

Cardinal Fernández offered an apology for his inability to be present at the October 18 dialogue and said that he would be willing to meeting during the week of October 20 with “the members of the Synod interested in the topic of study group no. 5, to listen to their reflections and receive any written documents from them.”

Synod: morning session

Only 332 of the 365 participants in the second and final session of the synod on synodality gathered in Paul VI Audience Hall for the fourth day devoted to the session’s fourth module, “Places” (synod agenda).

“Places” is the title of the third part of the session’s instrumentum laboris, or working document (pp. 35-46). It has four sections:

  • Areas of shared journeying
  • Local Churches in the one and unique Catholic Church
  • The bonds that shape the unity of the Church
  • The service to unity of the Bishop of Rome

L’Osservatore Romano reported that the day began with a prayer by Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India; with the singing of songs; and with the reading of the day’s Gospel. “The work then continued within the individual working groups with the twelfth session of the circuli minores [working groups’ and the preparation of the reports, delivered at the end of the morning.”

Press briefing

With the exception of the texts of the spiritual assistants and leading synod officials, the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, led by Cardinal Mario Grech, has imposed tight secrecy on synod participants (Regulations, Article 24), binding them to confidentiality, even with respect to their own contributions, and even after the session concludes.

The regulations stand in marked contrast to the relative transparency of the Synod of Bishops under St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, during which the Vatican routinely published the synod fathers’ interventions (speeches). The daily press briefing thus offers an impressionistic, if filtered, view of the synod proceedings.

The presenters at the October 18 press briefing (video), the Holy See Press Office noted, were

  • Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communication and chair of the synod’s Commission for Information
  • Sheila Leocádia Pires, communications officer of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference and secretary of the synod’s Commission for Information
  • Bishop Luis Marín de San Martín, OSA, one of two undersecretaries of the General Secretariat of the Synod
  • Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, France
  • Cardinal Luis José Aparicio of Bogotá, Colombia
  • Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla of Juba, South Sudan

Ruffini said that the following topics were discussed, according to the Vatican newspaper:

  • several participants spoke about “the importance of particular Churches [i.e., dioceses], which do not harm, but serve unity”, emphasizing that “the particularity of each” is not a threat, but rather “a special gift”
  • the “Eastern Catholic Churches, whose tradition must be protected, since it [i.e., Eastern tradition] is a treasure of the entire universal Catholic Church, of which it is therefore an integral and indispensable part”
  • “many have pointed out that there is a need to guarantee not only the effective survival, but also the re-flourishing of the Eastern Catholic Churches both in their territories of origin and in the diaspora”
  • “at times the Latin Church has behaved in an unjust way towards the Eastern Churches ... thinking of their theology as secondary”
  • “one of the challenges is to redefine the concept of territory, which is not just a physical place: in fact, because of the diaspora there are Easterners who live in territories where the Latin rite prevails”
  • “the assembly raised the request, which was met with great appreciation, for a message from the entire Synod to ask for a common date” of Easter every year

Pires said that the following topics were discussed:

  • “several” synod members urged others “not to be afraid of synodality, because it does not weaken the different charisms and ministries nor the specificity of places”
  • a desire for a greater emphasis on the theme of the parish
  • “administrative duties suffocate missionary impetus and enthusiasm, and it is therefore necessary to think creatively”
  • it is necessary to “listen to the cries of those who suffer, because the synodality of the local Church” is also manifested “in realities marked by suffering”
  • “to fight the good fight of faith in secularized societies, as St. Paul said, it is important to share the path with the laity
  • “a healthy decentralization of the Church can increase the dimension of the co-responsibility of the people of God”, as long as it is always in unity, “in fidelity to the magisterium, in ecclesial communion with the successor of Peter, in respect for local Churches, in subsidiarity and synodality”
  • “the Gospel must be embodied in every culture and in every place, inhabiting it, strengthening the community dimension of movements and new ecclesial realities”
  • a speech in favor of “unity in diversity” was “much applauded”
  • the Church as a “living organism that has Christ as its heart and lives as a body through the existence of people”
  • on a possible female diaconate, “some” participants said that “the Church must not be a ‘thing for men’ and that, if women also ask to be present in decision-making processes, this is not enough”
  • because young people “say they are spiritual but not religious,” pastors also need to be present “n digital environments”

According to Vatican News, Bishop San Martín

identified four fundamental pillars the Church must stand on: it must be Christ-centered, fraternal, inclusive (“Those who see power struggles within the Synodal Assembly are mistaken; this doesn’t exist,” added the bishop), and dynamic. “If only we could share our enthusiasm in a world full of crises.” The Synod discussions, meanwhile, have revolved around several dichotomies: synodality and listening to the signs of the times, unity and diversity, center and peripheries. The undersecretary’s final call was not to be discouraged by the “pessimism that sometimes grips us.”

The three cardinals discussed regional challenges, with Cardinal Aparicio adding that the role and authority of bishops were discussed extensively.

Earlier coverage

 

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  • Posted by: feedback - Today 11:11 AM ET USA

    Pope Francis does whatever he wants to do, which became most obvious with Amoris Laetitia and his silence in response to the dubia by four Cardinals. A synod with hand-picked participants that claims to "listen to everybody" seems like just a thick smoke screen for advancing predetermined agendas. Later on, it would be the synod to blame for making mess and not Francis or his associates.

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