Regional representatives meet Pope, discuss ‘continental phase’ of synod

Dec 09, 2022

VATICAN: While some people want to “reform” the Catholic Church and others want “to put the brakes on the synod process,” those involved in preparing the continental phase of the synodal process want “to mend” the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Pope, said Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg and General Relator of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

As final plans are made for the continental phase leading to the Synod of Bishops 2023- 24, the bishops and coordinators responsible for the regional meetings met at the Synod’s General Secretariat in Rome, November 28-29.

In a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, expressed his “gratitude and wonder” for the assembly: “I have heard the testimony of a living Church!”

“The sharing of these days shows that the journey is already well underway and that we have much to learn from each other,” the Cardinal continued. “I have great hope for our task, which is, and remains first and foremost, evangelisation: the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. This is the synodal path.” The Cardinal also noted the importance of including and listening to everyone, “because sometimes the Church is present where we did not think we would find it.”

Meeting with the Pope
On Nov 28, Pope Francis welcomed the participants of the Continental Assemblies of the Synod for a private audience.

The meeting, described as having a “fraternal” atmosphere, lasted two hours.

Cardinal Hollerich delivered the opening address to the Holy Father, thanking him “for taking the time to receive us and to give us your advice for the synodal process.”

“With this stage of the Synod we are, in fact,” the Cardinal continued, “experiencing a first universal dimension of the process. This stage says, in fact, that the different Churches must not be isolated in their journey and the circular dialogue of the continental assemblies will benefit the Churches of all continents.”

Cardinal Hollerich noted that a synodality that “wants to be Catholic” needs the care and advice of St Peter: “We need” the Lord, “because we need a healthy indifference that bears witness to freedom in the Spirit, but then, because we also notice some temptations on this road.”

The Cardinal then spoke about a “temptation” that we sometimes see in the media: the temptation of “politicisation” in and of the Church.

Continuing in his address, the Cardinal said “some have an agenda for the reform of the Church; they know very well what needs to be done and want to use the Synod for that purpose: this is instrumentalising the Synod. This is politicising.”

Conversely, those who are on the “opposite side, or the “indietristi” (only looking to the past) do not understand that a “true Catholic tradition evolves even though it remains a tradition in its time. They too would like to put the brakes on the Synod process.”

Those participating in the meeting of the presidents and coordinators of the Continental Assemblies, rather desire to “be able to enter into a true discernment, an apostolic discernment, so that the synodal Church can carry out its mission in the world,” the Cardinal said.

Walking together with the Pope, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus, is thus necessary “in order to mend our Church,” Cardinal Hollerich stated at the end of his address.

After Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich’s address, the participants of the continental assemblies took turns to present the outcomes of the process underway in their respective continents or regions.

Reflecting on the Document for the Continental Phase
The meeting at the Vatican was meant to help finalise plans for the regional gatherings called to reflect on the “Document for the Continental Phase,” a document released in late October and echoing the themes that emerged from all the national syntheses of synod listening sessions and the contributions of religious orders, Catholic movements, Vatican dicasteries and nuncios from around the world.

Participants in the continental phase will be asked to discuss what in the document “resonates” with them or what they believe is missing, said Xavière Missionary Sr Nathalie Becquart, one of the synod undersecretaries. Vatican News, reporting on the meeting Nov 28, said representatives discussed some of the challenges the process already has raised, including “the small minority of people who have participated so far; the challenge facing the Church regarding how she carries out her mission; the prevalence of personal piety rather than community-building practices and ritual; (and) the vast amount of information, proposals and suggestions that makes synthesising or coming to conclusions difficult.”

In addition, Vatican News said, some participants saw “the need for a definition of ‘inclusive’ regarding how the voices and views of non-Catholics or former Catholics is envisioned; misunderstanding that the consultation process is meant to grant all of the requests people are raising; bringing out the voices of women is a challenge particularly in those places where societies are still patriarchal; (and) media interpretation of the synod from a sociological rather than ecclesiastical slant.”

Meetings and gatherings
The bishops of the United States and Canada have decided to hold 10 online sessions for their continental phase; the meetings, scheduled for 90 minutes, will take place from Dec 14, 2022 to Jan 21, 2023, with five sessions in English, three in Spanish and two in French. The bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean also will hold multiple meetings, although all four will be in-person gatherings. The meetings are scheduled for El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Brazil between Feb 13 and March 10. The bishops also have decided that 55 per cent of the participants will be laypeople while 45 per cent will be bishops, priests, deacons and religious. The European gathering is scheduled for Feb 5-12 in Prague with 200 people attending in person and up to 10 more delegates from each country following online. Catholics from Australia, New Zealand and other parts of Oceania will meet Feb 5-9 in Suva, Fiji. The Middle East meeting will be held Feb 12-18 in Beirut, Lebanon, while the Asian meeting will be held Feb 23-27 in Bangkok, Thailand. The bishops of Africa and Madagascar will sponsor a gathering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 1-6. — CNS/ Vatican Media