The final report from the nearly month-long Synod of Synodality has called on all believers to share in the mission of evangelisation, proposing the formation of new lay ministries and increasing lay involvement in decision-making.
Synod participants gather in St Peter’s Basilica for final Mass
“The exercise of co-responsibility is essential for synodality and is necessary at all levels of the Church,” the final report stated. “Every Christian is a mission in the world.”
The report, titled “A Synodal Church in Mission”, is a synthesis of the discussions from the Synod and the proposals or recommendations within the report do not represent a change in Church teaching or the official position of the Church.
The report acknowledged fears some had with the process, with some suggesting the Synod could bring about a change in Church teaching, particularly on controversial issues such as female ordination and marriage.
“Some fear that they will be forced to change; others fear that nothing will change and there will be too little courage to move in the rhythm of the living tradition,” the report said.
“Some perplexity and opposition also hide the fear of losing power and the privileges that come with it.”
Bishop Randazzo with Bishop Cristian Crisan, Romanian Greek Catholic Auxiliary bishop of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia
Bishop Anthony Randazzo, Bishop of Broken Bay, said the month-long Synod had been an opportunity to listen to and engage with Catholics from around the world.
“This past month at the Synod in the Vatican has been a marvellous opportunity to meet, listen, and dialogue with bishops and people from all corners of the globe,” he said.
Bishop Randazzo with Kelly Paget
The final Mass at St Peter’s Basilica reminded me how truly Universal the Church is. Many people from different places and cultures all listening to the Word of God, professing the one faith, and sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. This is the Synodal Church at the source and summit of communion, participation, and mission.”
The Synod’s final report was approved on Saturday evening, with the 344 voting members present approved the text paragraph by paragraph with a two-thirds majority. The members were asked to vote on whether the paragraph was an accurate reflection of the discussion over the past month. The votes do not indicate whether those voting were in favour of the point discussed or not.
Among the highest number of negative votes, was the paragraph which asked for more “theological and pastoral research on the access of women to the diaconate”, however this still passed 279 to 67.
The report also included proposals for the Church to accompany people who might feel at the margins of the Church.
“In different ways, people who feel marginalized or excluded from the Church because of their marriage status, identity or sexuality, also ask to be heard and accompanied,” the report said.
“There was a deep sense of love, mercy and compassion felt in the Assembly for those who are or feel hurt or neglected by the Church, who want a place to call ‘home’ where they can feel safe, be heard and respected, without fear of feeling judged.”
The document also made mention of the poor.
“For the Church, the option for the poor and those at the margins is a theological category before being a cultural, sociological, political or philosophical category”, it said. “The Assembly hears the cry of the ‘new poor’, produced by wars and terrorism that plague many countries on several continents, and the assembly condemns the corrupt political and economic systems that cause such strife”.
The report also mentioned clerical celibacy in the Western Church, asking “whether its appropriateness, theologically, for priestly ministry should necessarily translate into a disciplinary obligation in the Latin Church, above all in ecclesial and cultural contexts that make it more difficult. This discussion is not new but requires further consideration”.
The final document also touched on issues of ecumenism, laity and families, clericalism, abuse, consecrated life, formation, Bishops, polygamy and digital culture.