Synod press conference – Day 3: An invitation to listen to all

By Salvatore Cernuzio

The Second General Congregation of the General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality opened Friday morning – the feast of St Francis of Assisi – with Name Day greetings to the Pope and all those who bear the names Francis and Frances.

The session was attended by 351 members in the Paul VI Hall, who listened to the reports of the five “Language Tables.” Common themes of the various language groups concerned the idea of synodality as a style rather than a technique, and issues such as the role of women and laity in the Church; and “active” listening to those who feel excluded because they do not live up to the prescriptions of the Church.

Presenters at the daily press conference at the Holy See Press Office also noted that Synod participants reflected on the idea that, “in a world of orphans,” the Church can represent “the family of those who have no family.” The meeting for journalists began with highlights of the Synod’s work from the prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, Paolo Ruffini; and Sheila Pires, president and secretary respectively of the General Assembly’s Commission for Information.

Not all charisms need to be ministries 

In particular, they reported, that the image of the Church as the Body of Christ, where there are many ministries and charisms in a single body, was recalled several times.

It was in this context that the theme of the role of the laity, and in particular of women, in the Church was analysed. The presenters emphasised that all charisms are important, but that it is not necessary for all charisms to be expressed in ecclesial ministries.

The role and contribution of women

Some groups, the speakers reported, were asked to consider, without “ideological and prejudicial approaches,” whether some issues were being raised as a result of fashionable trends and ideologies rather than “true ecclesial discernment.”

Within this same framework, the speakers noted that “the dignity of women is conferred on every believer in Baptism.” With regard to the question of women and the Sacrament of Holy Orders, some Synod members suggested the possibility of deeper study of the possibility of ministries such as “a ministry of consolation,” emphasising the importance of recalling the important contributions women have made and continue to make within the Church.

Synod members were reported to have strongly emphasised the “equal dignity and co-responsibility” of all those who are baptized. This, it was said, is the basis for reflection on the inclusion of lay people – and women and young people especially — in the decision-making processes of ecclesial life.

In the context of the relationships between men and women, some Groups suggested the need to identify fears and fears behind certain positions, “because these fears in the Church have led to attitudes of ignorance and contempt toward women.” Identification of such fears can further the work of ecclesial discernment.

Laity, language, face of the poor

Some of the Language Tables noted that in some places in the Instrumentum laboris the laity, as well as the family “domestic Church,” are scarcely mentioned.

The relationship between local churches and cultures also needs to be further explored, since each local church is “forged” by a culture while remaining itself.

In this vein, the issue of language was also mentioned, asking that it be “simple” and that “some formulations that are the fruit of a Eurocentric and Western perspective” be changed.

Finally, as a last point, there was a twofold invitation to start from pastoral experiences and realities “ because life is more important than theory”; and to “look at the face of the poor torn by wars, violence, and abuse.”

More than interventions 

After the five papers, the floor was opened to those who wanted to speak. Thirty-six speakers addressed the General Congregation, touching on topics such as the importance of the laity, the role of women in the with Church (with one speaker describing as “a shortcoming” the idea that are seen only as “consolers” and not as someone who can preach or head up an organization.

In the same vein, one speaker, recalling the example of missionaries, including laywomen, who throughout the world lead entire communities, noted that some women feel called by God to be ordained and ask that of the Church.

The request was also made for women to participate in the Study Group on Ministries and Charisms and that the result of the work of this Group might be discussed in a synodal space to provide advice and discernment.

Dialogue and listening

Further interventions reiterated the importance of developing a synodal spirituality, active listening, closeness, support without prejudice, even of those who are different, those who do not make us feel comfortable.

Some speakers called for more dialogue with other cultures, philosophies, and religions, and emphasized the need to respect and recognize “the other” “because this unites the people of God.”

With regard to listening, taking their cue from the theme “Let us widen the space of the tent,” speakers asked for synod participants to listen more profoundly to those in conditions of poverty and suffering and those who feel excluded from society and the Church, such as the divorced, the marginalized, and the so-called “LGBTQ+” community.

“Enlarging the space” in the liturgy.

Speakers also mentioned the topic of clericalism, emphasizing that “in the Church there are neither a master nor subjects. There is only one Lord, and we are all brothers.”

Dr Ruffini highlighted references to the “repeated and celebrated” theme of the liturgy, which can become a ”mirror of synodality.”

One proposal was that “at the next common liturgy of the members of the synod the space of the tent could be ‘enlarged’.”

Guest speakers at the Press Conferece

Four members of the General Assembly were present at Friday’s press conference: Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) and president of CERNA (Regional Bishops’ Conference of North Africa); Bishop Antony Randazzo, president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO); Bishop Matthieu Rougé of Nanterre (France); and Sister Xiskya Lucia Valladares Paguaga, from Nicaragua, an expert in social media and digital evangelization.

Experience in dioceses, nations and continents 

All four speakers recounted the experience of synodality from their own environments: parishes, dioceses, nations, and continents.

Cardinal Lopéz Romero reported the experience in Africa of “a single religious sister who created a movement of exchange, reflections, on synodality” and who “alone did more than many Episcopal Conferences.” He also spoke about the various synodal meetings in Morocco that allowed Christians themselves to “discover who we are, few in number but belonging to more than 100 countries: an extraordinary richness but also some difficulties in living communion.”

Bishop Rougé spoke of “synodal practices” in Nanterre, but wanted to focus more on the great Synod in the Vatican: “We are very happy to meet again, this is related to the intensity with which we lived the first session. Everyone arrived with doubts and fears, then with the method of the conversation in the Spirit we had a deep spiritual experience that we tried to share in our dioceses.”

Bishop Rougé noted that Pope Francis’ words, “The Synod is not a Parliament,” were very powerful. “Last year he said it twice, this year only once because he thought we understood it,” the bishop smiled.

The fragilities of the countries of Oceania

From the centre of Europe, the focus turned to the great territory of Oceania with comments from Bishop Randazzo. Oceania embraces a large percentage of the earth, but is “fragile,” considering areas such as Papua New Guinea – recently visited by the Pope – the Solomon Islands, and the various Pacific archipelagos that also suffer at times a sense of abandonment.

Bishop Randazzo spoke of the great joy in seeing the happiness of the people upon the Pope’s arrival in Port Moresby, thrilled at realizing that the Pope had found the time to come from Rome and cross the whole world to reach one of the most fragile areas of the earth”; an area that is, nonetheless, rich in natural resources.

In this regard, the bishop denounced a certain “greediness” on the part of developed nations that come and demand agreements and compromises with poor, and therefore vulnerable, nations to obtain precious natural resources.

He condemned the destruction of natural resources, which leads to suffering on the part of whole communities. And he pointed to migrants in the seas of Oceania who head for more stable countries, forced to leave their homes due to rising sea levels.

For the people of Oceania, the concept of synodality is not something strange, but on the contrary something they have known and applied for thousands of years: coming together and listening to each other with respect.

They talk about oceans, forests, fisheries, but also about faith. Bishop Randazzo complained, however, of “niche issues” – the concerns especially of rich western cultures – receive more attention than the grave issues facing the rest of the world.

No to corporate models in the Church

Responding to questions from journalists, the FCBCO president lamented the tendency on the part of the Church to embrace models of organization adopted from the corporate world. He expressed his unhappiness with words like “networking,” which is the language of businessmen. The language of the Church on the other hand should be the language of “communion”, of being together. He worried that some in the Church are so concerned to become “sophisticated” “that we risk excluding people.”

The “real scandal” is the exclusion of women

Among the “niche” issues that evoked concern from Randazzo was that of the ordination of women, a discussion that has been ongoing for decades. Randazzo spoke passionately, saying that a small minority of western voices is “obsessed” with the issue.  

The real “scandal,” he said, lies in women being ignored by the Church; or, even worse, being marginalized, becoming victims of domestic violence, and being excluded from work environments.

“This is a scandal against the Gospel!” Bishop Randazzo said.

The importance of digital mission 

Sister Xiskya emphasised the urgency of working in the “digital mission,” which is facing challenges in an age of new technologies and artificial intelligence.

“Sixty-five percent of the world’s population frequents digital streets,” she said, noting that “physical poverty is also found in social media.”

Since the beginning of the Synod, the nun explained, offices are being set up at the Bishops’ Conferences, meetings are being organized with missionaries, and experiences of digital missionaries are being shared.

Such missionaries, Sr Xiskya said, are those who “on the very streets of the web try to accompany and be close to the estranged who nevertheless seek the truth and walk wounded in the world,” sometimes because of negative experiences with the Church.

“Samaritanear”

The direction for her this work, Sister Xiskya reported, was given to her personally by the Pope with a neologism: “Samaritanear,” that is, to be good Samaritans who “reach out to people who are walking on digital paths,” both those who “want to rediscover Gospel values” and those who “have never heard the name of Jesus.”

In this area, synodality is a great hope, especially considering the polarization and toxic relationships that can be found on social media.

Addressing the problems

Cardinal Lopéz Romero also spoke on the richness of the synodal itinerary, saying, “This synod is extremely enriching. Our Church is still too Europeanized, Westernized. We have to live this journey helping each other, so the Church will come out more Catholic, universal.”

In this regard, he quoted the example of an African bishop from a diocese with lots of vocations and lots of baptisms: “He reproached a European bishop for wanting to teach him a lesson when his churches were empty.”

Of course, “we Europeans must learn to be humble, but Africans should not boast either because success does not depend on numbers. We must help each other live the Gospel,” the cardinal said.

“There will be steps forward, steps backwards, encounters, clashes, but we must show the maturity to have patience, those who go faster wait for those who go slower… It is good that there are problems, they must be addressed and not swept under the rug.”

Reactions to Fiducia supplicans

Concerning reactions to the doctrinal statement Fiducia supplicans, which introduced the possibility of offering blessing to persons in “same-sex relationships” – a declaration that provoked contrary reactions even within the African Church itself.

It is a document, the Moroccan cardinal stressed, “that should have gone through a synodal path.” He noted that the document did not come from the Synod but from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Cardinal Lopéz Romero noted that his bishops’ conference came to a conclusion that differed from that of other African episcopates. He noted, too, that other nations, speaking for the continent of Africa, made a decision “without having consulted all of Africa.” The president of SECAM, Cardinal Lopéz said, “In fact apologized to us.”

This, too, he emphasized, is synodality; and learning it “is not easy.”