The 364 members of the synod opted for silence and prayer before beginning discussions on the future of the Catholic Church. On Saturday, September 30, after an ecumenical prayer celebrated by Pope Francis accompanied by the heads of other Christian Churches in St. Peter's Square, the members traveled to Sacrofano, some 20 kilometers from Rome. For four days, they went on a retreat to prepare for the mission entrusted to them by Francis.
Church governance, the ordination of married men, the place of women and the laity, and the management of sexual violence committed by members of the clergy: The key topics that the faithful have put on the table and that this assembly will have to debate are likely to shake up the institution. Launched in 2021 by the pope, this "synod on synodality," in Catholic terminology, aims to place the faithful at the center of the Church's functioning, in a context overshadowed by the vocations crisis in part of the world and by the ever-growing reports of sexual scandals. For Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the pope who will soon be 87, the aim is nothing less than to "germinate dreams in the Church." This summit meeting, which will be followed by a second one in a year's time, could be the last major opportunity of his pontificate to forge his legacy.
In many ways, the process that will conclude in 2024 is historic. For the first time, lay people, including women, are being called upon not only to discuss but also to deliberate alongside the bishops to whom synods are usually reserved. Of the 365 voters (364 without Pope Francis), the assembly includes 96 lay people, 54 of them women. Among them is French nun Nathalie Becquart, under-secretary of the synod, one of the highest-ranking women in the Holy See.
While the bishops were elected by their episcopal conference and the religious chosen by their order, some members were appointed by the Pope himself. Among them are Spanish theologian Cristina Inoges Sanz, renowned for her studies in so-called feminist theology, and American Jesuit priest James Martin, known for his defense of the inclusion of homosexuals in the Church.
The Synod is also historic in that it is the result of a consultation unlike any that has taken place in the past. The faithful from all over the world gathered in their parishes to send in their contributions on how they felt the Church should function to keep pace with the times. Their writings were then grouped first by country, then by continent, before being sent to Rome. Based on this feedback, the Holy See produced a working document containing questions on which synod members are invited to collaborate. After the second session, in 2024, Francis is expected to formulate in a text the conclusions he has drawn for the Church from this process.
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