Synod on Synodality

"We have to fight to get rid of clericalism, to transform clericalism, not to deny [women] access to ministries," Consuelo Vélez, of the Colombian Association of Women Theologians, told Global Sisters Report.

Being on pilgrimage to Rome during the second session of the synod of synodality taught me that stretching the boundaries belongs to all of us, in friendship with the principal protagonist —the Holy Spirit.

La Iglesia debe enfrentarse, 'más allá del discurso oficial', a cualquier tipo de discriminación, exhorta la Hna. María Cacho, líder en el mundo afrocatólico y facilitadora en el Sínodo de la Sinodalidad. "¿Cómo ser Iglesia sinodal ante el rechazo, la pobreza, el racismo, el etnocentrismo, la indiferencia ante la diversidad cultural, el desprecio y la discriminación del otro por su raza, sexo o religión?", se pregunta la religiosa de las Hijas de la Caridad de San Vicente de Paúl. 

"What do you do in the face of all these viruses, worse than COVID-19, that suffocate and threaten the human condition and that of the Afro-descendant people and other people?" asked Sr. María Suyapa Cacho Álvarez.

La Hna. Elizabeth Young y la Hna. Laura Vicuña Pereira han asumido ministerios pastorales —funerales, bautizos y celebraciones dominicales— en comunidades remotas de Australia y Brasil donde no hay sacerdotes ni diáconos. Ambas religiosas abogan por mantener el debate sobre el diaconado femenino para que las mujeres puedan convertirse en diaconisas en la Iglesia católica.

"Cultivating a culture of synodality is filled with promise," writes Sr. Colleen Gibson, "though not without the growing pains that come with allowing our hearts and minds to be reformed by the Spirit." 

A group of pilgrims with the Ecclesial Conference on the Amazon and Discerning Deacons took part in programs and church visits in Rome at the start of the synod discussing the spiritual call many women have to be deacons in the church.

Where neither deacons or priests can be found to tend to the local population in remote regions of the world, sisters keep Catholic customs alive by carrying out a form of the diaconate.

A group of men and women gathered at a chapel near the Vatican, confidently praying that the church would restore the female diaconate Oct. 3, the day after synod participants were told it would not happen now.

Rev. Angela Nevitt Meyer of Roman Catholic Womenpriests-USA joined other advocates for women's ordination in Rome, where they prayed near the site of synod on synodality.

"Rushing" to open the diaconate to women in the Catholic Church would short-circuit a necessary reflection on the relationship between ordained ministry and charismatic leadership, particularly as it impacts the participation of women in the church, said the head of the Vatican's doctrinal office.

A pesar de que el diaconado femenino no está en la agenda del Sínodo de la Sinodalidad, las mujeres católicas de América Latina siguen sirviendo a los más necesitados. La teóloga dominica Mila Díaz Solano insta a mantener el diálogo y resalta que, aunque no se reconozca el diaconado, el trabajo pastoral de muchas religiosas es vital para la Iglesia, especialmente en zonas remotas como la Amazonía. "Más que salir a protestar, es cómo entramos en diálogo en los espacios en los que se decide y creamos alianzas con sacerdotes, con obispos, [para] trabajar juntos, porque es necesario”, afirmó la religiosa dominica. 

Regardless of what the synod says about women's ministries, Catholic women in Latin America will continue serving the poor and want to maintain dialogue on the issue, says Dominican Sr. Mila Díaz Solano.

Pope Francis on Oct. 2 opened the final session of a Vatican summit on the future of Catholicism, encouraging participants not to use the monthlong meeting to push individual agendas, but to seek unity in diversity in the church so "each person feels welcomed." 

The Life - Many women at the synod noted that clericalism continues to "scar the face of the Church." This month, we ask our panelists: What is the spiritual conversion needed in order for healing to take place?

When Francis Xavier reached India or Mother Cabrini arrived in the U.S., neither believed they would make converts overnight. They had to learn the language and culture. So, too, with internet evangelization.

One of the chief organizers of the Vatican's high stakes summit on the future of the Catholic Church believes that synodality must be distinguished from the work of diplomacy.

Sr. Patricia Murray said the Holy Spirit guided the journey through deep listening to one another, which connected participants as individuals and also as a global church.

"No usaré el término éxito, pero ha sido fructífero. (…) El Sínodo no ha terminado. La segunda sesión es el próximo octubre, donde el documento final tendrá propuestas para el papa". indicó una hermana, miembro con derecho a voto en la primera sesión de esta asamblea del Vaticano.

"This whole synodal approach is really consistent with the deepest spiritual traditions within the church. How did they work out what to do at the First Council of Jerusalem?"

"I won't use the term success, but it has been fruitful. It's a new state in the experience of synodality," says one sister who was a voting member at the first session of the Vatican's multiyear synod.

The Vatican summit on the future of the church concluded on Oct. 28 by postponing action on ordaining women as deacons and failing to acknowledge deep tensions over how to care for LGBTQ Catholics.

Desde el convento de las Hermanas Clarisas Capuchinas en Wilmington, EE. UU., un grupo de hermanas contemplativas se une al Sínodo a través de la oración, irradiando una fuerza espiritual que trasciende las paredes del claustro.

Three Catholic sisters said they are hopeful that the church's synodal process might bring increased leadership roles for women. They also stressed that they already have significant influence as women religious.

The Oct. 25 "Letter to the People of God" from the ongoing Synod of Bishops highlights the significance of women participating in the event as full members, and the duty of the church to listen to clergy abuse victims.

Contemplative sisters participate in the Synod of Bishops from afar through prayer.

Any discussion on the mission of women in the church needs to be accompanied by examining how Jesus treated women, and that is what should be imitated, Company of Mary Sr. Liliana Franco said at the Synod of Bishops.

La Hna. Liliana Franco, presidenta de CLAR, recapituló algunas experiencias de exclusión de las mujeres en la Iglesia y también destacó la importancia de un cambio estructural para reconocer la presencia femenina. "La Iglesia tiene rostro de mujer", enfatizó. 

A prominent Irish nun said Oct. 16 that women's voices are being heard at Pope Francis' big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church, and said delegates are also acknowledging the hurt caused by the church's position on homosexuality.

Even as Catholic women take a historic step as voting members of the Synod of Bishops, former Irish President Mary McAleese slammed the Vatican Oct. 13 in a parallel gathering in Rome calling for more equality for women.

Dos hermanas católicas que asisten al Sínodo de la Sinodalidad observan cambios profundos en la Iglesia, marcados por un estilo de liderazgo diferente y una apertura a voces diversas —distintas a las de los obispos y a la del papa—, guiadas por el Espíritu Santo.

Finding better ways to live "like Jesus did" — reaching out, welcoming, healing and including others — was the focus of Sr. Liliana Franco Echeverri's small group discussions Oct. 9-10 at the assembly of the Synod of Bishops, she said.

Listen: In the podcast's second episode, Joshua McElwee and Christopher White discuss the incredible events of the first week of the 2023 synod, and interview one of the seven organizers of the extraordinary assembly.

Escuchar es una palabra clave en el Sínodo sobre Sinodalidad impulsado por el papa Francisco, pero también es una forma de "cambiar la sensación de que la verdad reside en la cima de la jerarquía" en cualquier estructura eclesiástica, asevera la Hna. Patricia Murray. 

Two Catholic sisters taking part in Pope Francis' summit on the church's future told GSR the synod is different than expected. "I'm experiencing and witnessing the dismantling of the hierarchical," said Mercy Sr. Angela Perez.

Sr. Patricia Murray said that Pope Francis' process for the synod on synodality is helping "shift the feeling that the truth resides at the top of the hierarchy."

"It is important that lay life, religious life and the priesthood are all seen as complementary as a reciprocity of service," says Congregation of Jesus Sr. Gill Goulding.

Officially opening the monthlong Synod of Bishops on Oct. 4, Pope Francis encouraged the participants, bishops and laypeople alike, to reject the temptations of doctrinal rigidity and to embrace a vision of the church that is open and welcoming to all.

As part of NCR's new podcast, The Vatican Briefing, one of the voting members of the Synod of Bishops has indicated an openness to restoring the early Catholic Church's tradition of ordaining women as deacons.

Pope Francis has expressed openness to Catholic blessings for same-sex couples, under the condition they are not confused with marriage ceremonies for men and women, in what could be a watershed moment for the church.

El nuevo proceso del Sínodo de los Obispos del papa Francisco, que involucra a laicos, clérigos, religiosas y religiosos en una asamblea en Roma del 4 al 29 de octubre, ha sido descrito por una participante como un “respiro” para la Iglesia. La Hna. María Cimperman, teóloga estadounidense y miembro de las Religiosas del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, comparte su perspectiva sobre el proceso sinodal, cuyo nuevo enfoque permite a los miembros de la Iglesia —distintos a los obispos— participar y votar.  Cimperman destaca que pese a las críticas, este proceso refleja una continuidad de la renovación iniciada por el Concilio Vaticano II y destaca el enriquecimiento que añade la participación de comunidades religiosas y voces de las “periferias”. Igualmente, la religiosa valora la “fuerza silenciosa” de la oración que añadirán las hermanas que no puedan asistir al encuentro. 

La Hna. Shizue Filo Hirota, miembro del comité vaticano encargado de organizar las próximas reuniones sinodales en Roma, destaca la importancia de la sinodalidad como un enfoque inclusivo en la Iglesia católica. En una entrevista para GSR, Hirota compartió su experiencia y refirió cómo el papa Francisco busca que el Sínodo de Obispos sea un encuentro del pueblo de Dios, no solo de prelados, cuyo papel recuerde la diversidad y represente los clamores de los excluidos. La religiosa también resalta la importancia de la no violencia evangélica y la construcción de la paz en el contexto del Sínodo. En su labor de planificación, espera que la vulnerabilidad y las preguntas abiertas sean abrazadas por todos los participantes. Además, destaca el avance histórico de otorgar derecho a voto a hombres y mujeres. La hermana mercedaria es la única mujer y el único miembro no ordenado del comité de siete personas encargado de organizar las próximas reuniones sinodales en Roma. Pero a pesar de estar en minoría, no se siente intimidada.

Sr. Maria Cimperman described Pope Francis' reimagined process for the Oct. 4-29  Synod of Bishops as a "walking together," even if prelates still hold the majority of votes.  

Xavière Missionary Sr. Nathalie Becquart, an undersecretary of the Vatican's Synod of Bishops office, said at World Youth Day that she has learned how to be synodal "from and with young people."

Contemplate This - I led the day retreat and opening prayers for the 2023 meeting of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests. And in the priests' dialogue with laywomen, I saw the spirit of synodality prevail.

The Vatican on July 7 released the full list of participants for its upcoming global synod of Catholic bishops and lay delegates, which includes noted LGBTQ advocate Jesuit Fr. James Martin and all four U.S. cardinals created by Pope Francis.

The last time the church said it was going to make changes was in 1965, but all the changes to be seen were basically meaningless ones. This time, though, the faithful themselves are part of the agenda-making process.

In NCR interviews after the announcement that Pope Francis will expand participation in the upcoming synod to include laypersons as voting members, theologians and reform groups praised the move as a substantial change.

The Mercedarian sister is the only woman and only nonordained member of the seven-person commission tasked with organizing the upcoming synod meetings in Rome. But despite being in the minority, she is unintimidated.

In a Fordham lecture, Xavière Sr. Nathalie Becquart spoke of the importance of women and young people in the church. And yes, she will be voting in the Synod of Bishops on synodality later this year and in 2024.

In their submission to the synod as part of the Irish national synthesis of the synodal process published Aug. 16, women religious in Ireland lamented their invisibility and highlighted their sense of marginalization.

Horizons - While the oneness we Catholics proclaim may be a hard-forged unity, the national synthesis offers hope that even if it is not a full reality, unity is desired by people on all sides of the ecclesial aisle.

Can you build a house with 1,000 rupees at a time? Last Christmas we mobilized people to join together and begin construction of a house for a daily laborer. Many people contributed; by May, the house was a reality.

Sacred Heart Sr. Maria Cimperman is a true believer in the Synod of Bishops on synodality: "The whole synodal process is really communal discernment. How do we walk with each other and hear each other?"

"Synodality is rooted in the tradition of the church. Francis is rescuing this value of our own tradition," Rafael Luciani told a webinar hosted by the Center for the Study of Consecrated Life.

Dominican Sr. Maureen Sullivan will speak on the synodal church in a FutureChurch series, while the International Union of Superiors General is gathering sister testimonies and focusing its 2022 plenary on the synod.

With the listening stage of the synod on synodality underway, the two-hour conversation on Dec. 16 aimed to amplify the voices of Catholic women from across the globe, with panelists from Africa, Australia and Europe.

As the first phase of the newly revamped synod process begins, Sister Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of the Vatican's office of the Synod of Bishops, delivered a talk in which she described the pope's vision of a more relational church. "The focus is no longer first on the primacy at the top of the pyramidal view," she said.

When asked if women other than Sr. Nathalie Becquart, an undersecretary in the Vatican's synod office, would be able to cast a ballot at the final meeting in October 2023, Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech refused to say.

Sr. Nathalie Becquart, a member of the Xavière Sisters in France, talks about preparing for the October 2022 Synod of Bishops, which will have the theme: "For a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission."