SoS Sat Report: The conclusion of the Synod will not be the end of something, but a new beginning

Debating of the draft final document has began

It is the final Monday of the Synod on Synodality, and the first draft of the final document of the Synod on Synodality is in the hands of the 351 Synodal delegates. The contents are confidential in “order to maintain a positive atmosphere for discussion.” Leaks will come though, especially as disagreements arise. The document seems to have been mostly written before this year’s Synodal session, as Jean-Claude Cardinal Hollerich SJ, the principle author, outlined “this is not just the product of the discussions in the assembly but draws on a rich process and incorporates all the work done over the years during the various phases of the synodal journey.” The other two authors are Fr. Giacomo Costa SJ and Msgr. Riccardo Battocchio.

The Synod has a drafting commission composed of Synod delegates, some ex-officio, some elected and some appointed by Pope Francis himself. They do not not draft the final document but instead they “supervise the work of the drafters.” The seven elected members are as follows: Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap., for Africa, Luis José Cardinal Rueda Aparicio for Central and South America, Prof. Catherine Clifford for North America, Fr. Clarence Sandanaraj Davedassan for Asia, Jean-Marc Cardinal Aveline for Europe, Bishop Mounir Khairallah for the Middle East and Eastern Churches, and Bishop Shane Anthony MacKinlay for Oceania. They join the ex-officio members, Jean-Claude Cardinal Hollerich, S.J., Mario Cardinal Grech, Msgr. Riccardo Battocchio, Fr. Giacomo Costa, S.J.; and three Pontifical appointees, Fr. Giuseppe Bonfrate, Filipe Neri António Sebastião Cardinal do Rosário Ferrão, and Sister Leticia Salazar.

Dilexit nos

The major news of the day is that Pope Francis has written the fourth encyclical of his Pontificate, which will be published on Thursday, October 24. It is entitled Dilexit nos, “He love us”, and will focus on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, collecting reflections from previous magisterial texts. This might be the rare document in this Pontificate where the most cited person is not Pope Francis. It follows on from previous encyclicals; Lumen fidei (2013), on faith, which was almost entirely written by Pope Benedict XVI and completed a trilogy on the theological virtues; Laudato si' (2015) on the environment; and Fratelli tutti (2020) on human fraternity.

The timing of course is curious. Ostensibly it is to mark the 350th Anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, but why now at the climax of a three year Synodal journey, that has been billed by the organisers themselves as one of the most important event in the history of the Church. The date itself of October 24th doesn’t appear to be significant to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. June would have been logical or December 27th, the 350th Anniversary of the first apparition. I far as I can tell the timing of this document is clearly aimed at taking away some of the limelight from the final document of the Synod which is expected to be published on Saturday. Why? Perhaps the document is a bit of a nothing burger, after all in the grand scheme of the things what really counts is the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation that Pope Francis will release probably around July next year (after the Pope has received the final reports of the various Study Groups studying issues raised in the first session of the Synod on Synodality last year). The cynic in me believes that that document is most written already, and will focus on a new way of understanding the exercise of papal primacy and the collegiality of bishops, with a nod by Synodality by emphasising listening to the people of God by reinforcement of some bureaucratic instruments that already exist.

Abundant fruits

The day began with a Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit celebrated at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica by His Eminence Mario Cardinal Grech, with the Synod delegates concelebrating and/or assisting. This was a late addition to the calendar, and obviously done to more strongly tie the work of the Synod to the action of the Holy Spirit, ahead of the debate on the contents of the final document.

Cardinal Grech spent his sermon reflecting to be openness to the Holy Spirit. “We in these three years and in the two sessions of the Synodal Assembly can say that we have been able to discover "abundant fruits." We have rejoiced at the signs of vitality in each phase of the synodal journey, starting with the listening that characterized the first phase and involved all our communities. Our journey has been rich in fruits: it has helped us to see the gifts that are flourishing in the people of God today, without hiding our frailties and wounds.” I love Cardinal Grech’s enthusiasm for the process considering less that 2% of practicing Catholics had any involvement in the Synod. Signs of vitality indeed.

“We too, faced with the abundant fruits of the synodal journey, might ask ourselves the same question: what to do now? What to do with the abundant fruits we have gathered over these years? Perhaps we too, like the man in the parable, might realize that we do not have the proper means to guard the gifts we have discovered. Or perhaps, we see it, like the man in the parable, as the achievement of a goal: now there is nothing more to be done, we just have to enjoy the fruits we have received.”

Cardinal Grech continued, “The human being dies when he feels he has arrived and feels fulfilled”, adding “we too could run the risk of doing as this man did: hoarding what we have collected, the gifts from God that we have discovered, without reinvesting them, without living them as gifts received that we must now give back to the Church and the world, of feeling we have arrived!” These gifts, which presumably amount to listening to people who you have profound disagreements with without resorting to violence, in this day and age perhaps is something to nurture.

As an example, Fr. James Martin SJ said that at the first session last year “the words “disgusting,” “repulsive,” “unnatural” and “sick” were used regularly in conversations” to describe homosexuality, and that he sat there and listened attentively to the views that were expressed by his fellow Synod delegates.

Cardinal Grech would continue “We must overcome the temptation to believe that the fruits we have harvested are our work and our possession: we must receive everything as a gift from God,” adding “And what is the way forward? We are celebrating the Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit. The way to take is that of the Spirit of God. In fact, only the Holy Spirit can enable us to remain open to the newness of God.”

He conclude, “if we listen to the voice of the Spirit, then we will be able to identify new paths and "as pilgrims of hope let us continue to advance along the synodal path towards those who still await the proclamation of the Good News of salvation!" If we listen to the voice of the Spirit, the conclusion of this synodal assembly will not be the end of something, but a new beginning, so that "the Word of God may spread and be glorified." The expectations of the Synod organisers are sky high, putting all their hopes on Synodality, which as far as I can tell is a form of attentive listening Church style. It is going to take more than that to convince the faithful, who you are going to need to take along with you, without whom there is no Church.

God’s providence is at work in this Assembly

Later in the morning, now in the Paul VI Audience Hall and before the delegates got the draft document in their hands, they listened to a meditation by cardinal-designate Fr. Timothy Radcliffe OP.

Fr. Radcliffe focused on freedom, as delegates debate, propose amendments, and vote on the final document. “We may be disappointed with the decisions of the Synod”, adding, “some of us will consider these to be ill-advised or even wrong.” “We can be at peace because nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even incompetence, not even mistakes.” True words.

On the actual debating of the final document he said, “we need not be afraid of disagreement, for the Holy Spirit is at work in it”, adding “this is our freedom, to think, speak and to listen without fear. But this is nothing unless we also have the freedom of those who trust that  ‘God works all for the good of those who love God.’  So we  may be at peace with whatever is the result.”

I think the one clear thing that the Synods of his Pontificate have done, principally by being held behind closed doors and secretively, is highlight, expose, and I would argue exacerbate the divisions that have arisen in the Church since Vatican II. As I have said previously, role of the Pope now will be ensuring unity from the division that has arisen, which is not going to be a simple task, and why he needs our constant prayers.

Fr. Radcliffe continued, “So even if you are disappointed by the result of the Synod, God’s providence is at work in this Assembly, bringing us to the Kingdom in ways that God alone knows.”

He concluded by saying “If we have only the freedom to argue for our positions, we shall be tempted by the arrogance of those who, in the words of de Lubac, see themselves as ‘the incarnate norm of orthodoxy.’ We shall end up beating the drums of ideology, whether of the left or the right.” So in effect he saying that having “listened in the Spirit” to each other for two months, nobody has changed their minds, and the higher ups are praying that this week doesn’t cause the ideologues who lose the battle for the final document don’t try to promote a schism.

At this moment the question of the female diaconate is not ripe

Talking of ideologues who refuse to accept the perineal teaching of the Church, in this case on Holy Orders, this morning Cardinal Tucho Fernández addressed the Synod on the topic of women deacons. His intervention was published, read it here in Italian.

The first thing he did was explain why he wasn’t present at the meeting of Study Group 5, which is looking at the female diaconate among other issues, with Synod delegates. To surprise of everyone, he said he is not the coordinator of that Study Group. In fairness to him he never said he was, the Vatican never said he was, we just assumed, including the Synod delegates, that he was because he delivered the update on the work of Study Group 5 to Synod on the first day of this assembly.

The coordinator of Study Group 5 had undergone a medical procedure on the day of the meeting and therefore could not attend. We still don’t know who he is. Tucho thought, that as he is not the coordinator he wasn’t obliged to go to that meeting, instead sending two very junior staffers from the Vatican’s Doctrinal Office, who had less idea about the workings of the study group than the Synod delegates themselves. Tucho and Mister mysterious coordinator will be available to discuss Study Group 5 with Synod delegates on Friday afternoon.

On the topic of the female diaconate Cardinal Fernandez, said Pope Francis has expressed that “at this moment the the question of the female diaconate is not ripe”, adding that "the commission studying the topic has reached partial conclusions, which will be made public at the appropriate time.” The commission on women deacons is headed by Giuseppe Cardinal Petrocchi, who or may not be the coordinator of Study Group 5.

Interestingly, Cardinal Fernandez made it clear that Pope Francis has asked him explore alternative ways to elevate women's leadership within the Church that are not focused on the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He cited the example of the catechist, recently instituted as a new ministry by Pope Francis. Tucho also lamented that limited uptake of the ministry of acolyte by women, saying this “has been granted in only a small percentage of dioceses”, and blaming “local priests' reluctance to nominate women for the role.”

He also criticized the limited adoption of the male diaconate in many parts of the world, noting that, in some places, deacons are perceived merely as "ordained altar boys." This is a strange criticism. In the place where there are no permanent deacons, like in Africa, there is an abundance of priestly vocations, and conversely in places, particularly in Europe, where permanent deacons are a mainstay, there is a dearth of priestly vocations.

With these examples, Tucho said the rush to “ordain women as deacons is not the most pressing solution to promoting women's participation in the Church”, emphasising the need to reflect how women can assume leadership roles in the Church without being “restricted by priestly power.” “There is nothing in the nature of women that prevents them from holding very important positions in the leadership of the Church.”

Pope Francis is clearly against clericalizing women. He is against a female diaconate and a female priesthood. That much has been clear to anyone who has ears for last 11 years. I do however disagree with the way the Pope is handling the situation. The Holy Father is playing with the hopes of these women, who have delusions of the impossible, a female priesthood, making them question their faith, by constantly giving them false hope of change by establishing these commissions. I say this because these women genuinely believe that by having endless commissions, eventually one is going to give them the answer they desire, completely forgetting that Pope Francis, on more than one occasion, has said that ‘if you don’t want anything done in the Church, form a commission.’ Yes, I said that these activists want a female priesthood, to them the diaconate is the thin edge to wedge the door open. It is never going to happen, and it is high time they reconcile themselves to this fact, for their sanity if nothing else.

The Clericalist Mindset

At the today’s Synod press briefing the panel comprised of cardinal-designate Fr. Timothy Radcliffe OP, Matteo Cardinal Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna, Bishop Manuel Nin Güell, OSB., Apostolic Exarch of Greece, and Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, Undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

Press Conference was uneventful save from a rather bizarre moment when Hendro Mustermann, a Dutch theologian who works as a journalist for Netherlands Dagblad, a Dutch daily newspaper, said that despite knowing “all the theology” that excludes women from the priesthood, “I know all of it Ordinatio sacerdotalis, Hans Urs von Balthasar”, he said, adding “now I’m unable to explain it [Church teaching on Holy Orders],” to his two daughters. He claims that “this exclusion is standing between them and Christ”, and asked the panel for some help explaining the Church’s teaching to them.

Fr. Radcliffe warned that Mustermann and his daughters are “slipping into a very clerical mindset”, urging them “not to focus solely on ordination but to also consider the higher positions women have held throughout history as Doctors of the Church.”

Sr. Becquart emphasizing that women already hold top level positions in the Church, such as presidents of Catholic universities, leaders of organizations like Caritas, and heads of sections within Episcopal Conferences.

Now we wait to see what the next days will bring. Expect leaks of the final draft (from the Germans), and not much from the Vatican’s communication apparatus. We will bring you more news and analysis, though it may be thin this week before the late night scramble on Saturday.