Francis used the name "synod" only to replace the "synod of bishops" with another kind of meeting, Zen writes. Using his personal authority, he invited 96 lay men and women to participate in the ex-synod as voting members.
After the previous synods, Cardinal Zen sees that Francis "wants to change the Church's doctrines or disciplines each time, instead of discussing how to safeguard these doctrines and disciplines". Cardinal Zen's examples:
- Francis used the Synod on the Family (2014-2015) to try to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion.
- He wanted to use the Synod on the Amazon (2019) to introduce the ordination of married men to the priesthood.
- He wanted to use the Synod on Synodality (2021-2024) to change the Church's hierarchical system (replacing it with a 'democratic' group of the baptised), introduce deaconesses (paving the way for women priests), abolish priestly celibacy and change traditional teaching on 'sexual' ethics (starting with the 'blessing' of homosexual concubinages).
Cardinal Zen notes that these aims have failed. He identifies the current main danger in the final document as the idea that "synodality" should replace the hierarchy. Then the Catholic Church would become "the same" as the Anglican Church and would no longer be the one, Catholic, Apostolic Church.
Finally, Cardinal Zen doubts that the ex-synod is finished. The small study groups will continue until the summer of 2025.
Therefore: "Everyone knows that Francis believes in the 'process' (time is greater than space). What could not be achieved in this assembly can be achieved in the process that begins now. The Synod has ended, but the Synodal Church begins now".
Picture: Joseph Zen © Mazur, CC BY-NC-SA, #newsBzwghkjqef
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