As the Church prepares for the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis used his journey to Asia and Oceania to recall essential points about this debated concept. On September 11, upon his arrival in Singapore, he met with members of his religious order, the Jesuits, and addressed the question of the future vision of the Church through synodality. This reminder is all the more pertinent as this synod, scheduled for October 2-27 in Rome, is provoking strong reactions within the Catholic community.
Synodality: A Legacy of Saint Paul VI
Francis emphasized that the Synod of Bishops, as we know it today, finds its origin in the insight of Saint Paul VI. He perceived that the Western Church had lost the dimension of synodality, which the Eastern Church had managed to preserve. To restore this vital aspect, Saint Paul VI created the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops at the end of the Second Vatican Council, so that all bishops could rediscover this synodal dimension of dialogue.
However, Francis recalls that during the 2001 Synod, this notion was not yet fully understood. He remembers his experience at the time, where certain decisions, even though voted on by different groups, were set aside by the synod secretary, demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of what a synod is.
Synodality: Grace or Democratic Drift?
A crucial point raised by Francis is the difference between synodality and democracy. For the Pope, synodality is a grace given by the Lord, not a democratic process. It requires spiritual discernment at all levels of the Church, whether within parishes, educational institutions, or at the universal level. It is a journey that has evolved, notably with the possibility, for the first time, for women to vote at the synod. A change that Francis considers a sign of development in the application of synodality.
The Synod on Synodality has been criticized by some observers. They see in this synod a tendency towards the Church's self-referentiality, a criticism that Francis himself had formulated before his election. The topics debated, such as increasing the power of episcopal conferences, women's access to seminaries, or the creation of a ministry of listening and accompaniment, are perceived as responding more to the concerns of Western societies than to the real challenges of developing countries.
During a meeting with Jesuits in Indonesia on September 4, Francis addressed a particularly sensitive subject for Catholics in developing countries: the persecution of Christians. He recalled the example of the Christian Asia Bibi, imprisoned for nearly ten years in Pakistan for her faith, and insisted on the need to bear witness with prudence and courage, two essential virtues for persecuted Christians.
Clericalism: A Spiritual Scourge?
Pope Francis once again criticized clericalism, calling it a "subtle form of spiritual worldliness". But let us not be mistaken. What he calls "clericalism" is in reality the necessary affirmation of the spiritual authority of the clergy, a cornerstone of the Church that guarantees order and fidelity.
Also Read | Pope Francis: "Never Dialogue with the Devil"
To reduce this force to mere spiritual worldliness is to misunderstand the depth and necessity of this role. Clericalism, far from being a scourge, is a defense against secularization and the dilution of the faith. It is a protective barrier that, when well understood and respected, allows the Church to remain faithful to its divine mission in a world of perpetual moral decay.
Francis exhorted the Jesuits, and by extension, all priests, to remain close to the people of God, avoiding ecclesiastical ideologies that could distance them from their primary mission. This call is particularly relevant as the Synod on Synodality approaches, where the risk of straying from the real concerns of the faithful is very real.