Pope points to ‘novel features’ in Synod report
November 25, 2024
» Continue to this story on Vatican Press Office
CWN Editor's Note: Pope Francis has formally released the final report of the Synod on Synodality, with a message that says the document offers an authoritative new understanding of the Catholic hierarchy, and allows for differences in the interpretation of Church teachings.
It represents a form of exercise of the authentic teaching of the Bishop of Rome, with some novel features but which in fact corresponds to what I had the opportunity to point out on 17 October 2015, when I stated that synodality is the appropriate interpretative framework for understanding the hierarchical ministry.
In a note released on November 25, the Pontiff says that the final statement of the Synod is “not strictly normative and that is application would require several forms of mediation.” However, he continues, local churches are required to implement the Synod’s recommendations.
Pope Francis explains the substance of those recommendations by citing his own encyclical Amoris Laetitia:
Not all discussions of doctrinal, moral or pastoral issues need to be settled by interventions of the magisterium. Unity of teaching and practice is certainly necessary in the Church, but this does not preclude various ways of interpreting some aspects of that teaching or drawing certain consequences from it.The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
