Many Bishops Don't Understand the Pope's Synod


The term "synodality", according to the source I found, is a Greek term meaning "walking together." Pope Francis seems to want laity to be a part of this walk. He wants the Catholic Church to stop getting smaller and its clergy more remote from the flock. If the flock is included in church decision and policy, he reasons, the church will be more in step with those who pay the bills. Without the latter there is no church, regardless of what Jesus was claimed to have told Peter, you, Peter, build this church. 

The Synod now going on in Rome is scoffed at by some Bishops. One anonymous source said the problem is many Bishops don't know what "synodality" actually means. They think it means listen to what the laity says and then tell them your decision. To them, it does not mean laity makes decisions.

It's fun to speculate on how the direction of the Catholic denomination might have changed if there had been synodality for the last several decades. Suppose, for example, there had been meetings of clergy and laity and the topic for discussion was, "What should our parish and diocese do it a priest sexually abuses children or women?" Would the laity have agreed with the head priest and Bishop who advocated a policy of "keep it quiet, move the priest secretly to another diocese but don't tell parents or law enforcement."  I think the Catholic Church would be stronger today if synodality had been practiced back when. Perhaps if it starts today it will pay dividends 50 years from now.

The problem, of course, is self-interest. Most priests and bishops are like the rest of us and when they see the Pope is doing this synodality thing they ask, "What's in it for me?" Some clergy may go further and say, "I gave up marriage and a good secular career. Part of my reward was to be a person of some authority. Now, being required to give up my authority is a bridge too far."  

The Pope keeps making statements against clergy power. I think the word is clericalism. It's obvious he sees what clergy exclusiveness has brought his denomination. Clergy have acted often in their own self interest and contrary to the long-term interests of the Catholic Church. He does not see the clergy themselves as able to adjust to changing times. What he is attempting to do is put clergy in a straight jacket where they agree beforehand that widespread approval for change will be result in change. When the those in the pews demand change, change will take place.   

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