Series on the Synod on Synodality:
Part 1: “Wasn’t There Something About a Synod Last Fall?”
Part 2: When the Synod Came to St. Ignatius
Part 3: Trying to Hear the Lord
Part 4: Renovation and Renewal
Part Two of our series on the Synod on Synodality
Dear brothers and sisters, let us have a good journey together! May we be pilgrims in love with the Gospel and open to the surprises of the Holy Spirit. Let us not miss out on the grace-filled opportunities born of encounter, listening and discernment. In the joyful conviction that, even as we seek the Lord, he always comes with his love to meet us first.
-Pope Francis
It has become something of a cliché—often used, in previous decades, to silence dissent—to note that “The Catholic Church is not a democracy.” Yet, if the hierarchical Church is not fundamentally democratic, the papacy of Francis has shown that it need not be autocratic either. Especially in his structuring of synods, Francis has shown an openness to dissent, debate, and even open disagreement unimaginable under many of his predecessors. Where synods under Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict were often closely scripted affairs, Francis has sought a broad spectrum of views, and has allowed the raising of issues which have sometimes scandalized more traditional elements within the Church. At the preliminary session of the Synod on the Family, for example, the open discussion of the admission of divorced and remarried Catholics to the Eucharist caused Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia to say the “chaos” reminded him more of the devil than of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the openness of the Synod on the Amazon, especially its discussion of married priests and the possible reestablishment of the diaconate for women led some to say that the process itself was confusing to the faithful—though the faithful, for the most part, did not seem much confused. Indeed, many found hope in these processes, believing that such discernment promised a Church in which the voices of all the People of God, and not just clerics, might be heard.
It was in this context that Francis, in 2020, made perhaps the most significant announcement of his papacy, thus far: declaring that the next General Synod of Bishops would be on the subject of “synodality” itself, and that the faithful around the world would be engaged in both the planning and the voting of the Synod. Breaking the Synod into two sessions—one in 2023 and the other in 2024—Francis called upon the bishops of the world to take time to listen to the People of God, and to be guided by them about the issues and areas which the Church needed to address. In some regions, this call was embraced—leading even to processes which seemed to go farther than Francis intended—while in other regions the response was mixed, with some communities inspired by the papal mandate and others remaining lackluster or begrudging. In the United States, some bishops found innovative ways to engage those who had often remained unheard, while others did a minimal process, using tools not specifically designed for the call of the Synod.
At St. Ignatius, the call of Francis was seen as a chance to apply our history of Ignatian discernment to the very life of the Church, and to provide the “chief discerner”—Francis—with a snapshot of the movement in the Spirit in our community. Though also participating in the Archdiocesan process, St. Ignatius Parish decided to go further, preparing a process along the lines provided in the Preparatory Document sent out by the Synod. Using Zoom groups—to maximize opportunities for engagement—the parish created three Sessions, each of which had two different gathering opportunities. In relatively small groups, accompanied by a facilitator and a scribe, the people of St. Ignatius—or those who wanted simply to join the discussion—were asked, in the first Session to reflect in a personal way on their experience of the Church, both in its grace and in its shortcomings. Nothing was off-limits, although people were asked to avoid cross-talk and to listen to one another with open, prayerful hearts. The scribes were asked to provide, as accurately as possible, a transcript of each person’s sharing (leaving out particular names). All of these stories were then collected, redacted (though unchanged) to maintain privacy and for uniformity of style, and then sent out to the participants. From this Session, nearly 58 pages of pain and love, of blessings and wounds, were shared—with a consistent sense that speaking and being heard was perhaps the greatest grace many had ever received as members of the Church.
In the second Session, members were asked—having read all the stories—if they could identify themes that ran through all the groups, and could allow us to move towards a consensus document. What was amazing, however, was that this search for themes, itself, provided a major moment of grace for many in the community—producing not an easy reduction, but 45 pages more of comments, and a greater sense of community, desire, and direction.
Finally, in the third Session, pressed to get down to a document whose size was acceptable to the universal Synod, the St. Ignatius Synod was offered a synthesizing document, which sought to note the primary themes that had emerged, without ignoring others. This Final Report, approved by the consensus of those who gathered, named 5 conclusions that the St. Ignatius community hoped the universal Synod might consider in their discernment. To quote the document:
The sense of communion, which both arises from mission and fosters a deeper sense of mission, is seen as a primary grace found in the Church. That which wounds this communion—especially clericalism, legalism, and other forms of inauthentic leadership—are the greatest sadness.
The deepest wounds in the Church are caused by preferring theological ideas over persons. Thus, the first call of the Spirit is the inclusion of women at all levels and in all ministries, including ordained ministries, of the Church.
The Spirit calls in our time for the full, authentic welcome of LGBTQ+ persons, and a reform of teachings, using current scientific, psychological, and theological understanding.
Given the experience of disconnection between the ordained ministers and those they are called to serve, we believe a more synodal model of the Church—which includes discernment and an increased listening to the voice of the baptized—is needed at every level of the Church. Leadership must begin with humility, in the model of Jesus, and a sincere desire for reconciliation.
The example of Jesus calls for a profound commitment by the Church and its leadership to the welcome of all persons, and to the practice of reconciliation that seeks true healing for past wounds.
Though various factors arose which prevented this document from being easily submitted to the preparatory commission of the Synod, it was, at last, sent in through a website created for independent groups (i.e., non-diocese) and became part of the continental reports which were read by Synod attendees. And, indeed, it is amazing how many of these continental reports, from all around the world, reflect the same themes and desire for a Church of greater inclusion and humanity, where all have a voice in the selection of bishops and pastors, and for a Church that heals and welcomes, rather than judges and excludes. In looking at what the first session of the Universal Synod produced, we who hold our Church through our community at St. Ignatius, can begin to recognize that we are not alone—and begin to ask what our next steps might be.
Next week: An exploration of the Synthesis Document of the first session of the Synod on Synodality.
Fr. John Whitney, S. J.