On October 27, the XVI Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops announced its closing. The Pope immediately approved of the document adopted by the Synod and said he would not write a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation. All parties found this to be a completely “innovative” approach, but it seems that few have pointed out that this approach was rather problematic. I felt that way, but didn’t dare to raise it publicly. I feared that my pessimistic mindset may have led me to wrong judgments. But, then, after reading three articles, I now boldly express here my worries for the future of our Church.
The first article, “The Church of Permanent Revolution” was written by Jules Gomes on November 1. The second is “Tutto, tranne che sinodale. La strana Chiesa voluta da papa rancesco” written by Sandro Magister on November 4. The third article is Bishop Robert Barron’s “Some Thoughts Upon Returning from the Second Session of the Synod” on November 5.
I write down the following remarks for your reference:
First, to call this Synod on Synodality a Synod of Bishops is a misnomer.
The “XVI Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops,” which opened solemnly in 2021, is the sixteenth periodical meeting of the “Synod of Bishops” founded by Pope Paul VI with the motu proprio “Apostolic Sollicitudo.” The purpose of Paul VI’s creation of the “Synod of Bishops” is apparent: to provide an opportunity, periodically, for the Pope to obtain the opinions of his “brother bishops” on specific issues so it is an instrument for the bishops, the successors of the Apostles, to collegially exercise their role in leading the Church.
Five years after Pope Francis took office, he made changes to Pope Paul VI’s original plan with the release of the apostolic constitution “Episcopalis communio.” However, for this latest meeting, he did not even abide by the rules he set himself. Suddenly, with his personal authority, he invited 96 lay men and women to participate in the Synod as voting members.
The Pope obviously has the power to convene any form of consultative meetings, but this time he could not say that he improved Paul VI’s original plan. He used the name “synod” to replace the “Synod of Bishops” with a hybrid kind of meeting.
Second, what should the purpose of holding a Synod be?
From the “Synods” held under Pope Francis, we can see that he wants to change the Church’s doctrines or disciplines each time rather than discuss how to safeguard these doctrines and disciplines. …
Read the rest: https://oldyosef.hkcatholic.com/?p=2073
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