Catholic Bishops’ Assembly Ends, Questions on Female Priests and Marriage Persist
Vatican Synod on Synodality Concludes with Controversial Results
The highly anticipated 2023 session of the Synod on Synodality, a general assembly of Bishops, has come to a close, leaving many lingering questions about the future of the Catholic Church. The session addressed topics such as the ordination of women and the blessing of homosexual unions.
In the 42-page summary document, presented to Pope Francis and published in Italian, the participants emphasized the Church’s love and compassion for individuals who struggle with loneliness due to abiding by Church teachings, including sexual ethics.
However, the document did not mention the LGBTQ+ acronym or propose blessings for individuals or their unions, despite rumors circulated by activists.
Should the Synod approve the “blessing of homosexual couples [or] female diaconate,” ++Müller said “every ecclesiastical official would have lost his authority & no Catholic would be obliged any longer to religiously obey a heretic or schismatic bishop.” My final English text 👇: pic.twitter.com/GboCGU4Wl3
— Diane Montagna (@dianemontagna) September 14, 2023
The document also addressed the role of women in the Church but did not garner enough votes to support the proposal for the ordination of women to the diaconate. However, the question will be further discussed during the second session of the Synod in 2024.
Notably, the absence of German-speaking representatives during this session suggests a possible response from the Pope regarding a schism within the country. Despite stern warnings from Pope Francis in 2022, a significant number of German Bishops voted to approve blessings for irregular unions, including homosexual.
Reactions to the document varied, with some relieved that the rumors were dispelled and others disappointed by the lack of progressive results. Participants also expressed frustration over rising costs during a financial crisis in the Vatican.
Elizabeth Lev, a Vatican historian, commented on the document, highlighting the absence of the uniqueness of Christianity and the Church’s essential role. She questioned the focus on adapting the message rather than emphasizing its transformative power throughout history.
When asked about historical similarities to controversies leading up to this Synod, Lev acknowledged that the Church has faced controversies in the past but has always managed to overcome them.
As the Synod concludes, the future of the Catholic Church remains uncertain, with ongoing discussions and debates shaping its path forward.
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Pope Francis presides over the Holy Mass for the conclusion of the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Vatican City (Vatican), October 29th, 2023 (Photo by Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Elizabeth Lev, an author and Vatican historian based in Rome, commented: “My first thought regarding the document and its proceedings is how odd it is that a Church document be discussed by what it doesn’t contain vs that which it does… suggesting a partisan nature to the whole business.”
Lev responded to The Daily Wire, through email. She continued by pointing out that the summary document seems to have methodically buried the essential role of the Church. “Where is the uniqueness of Christianity? That singular message of the Good News that transformed the world 2,000 years ago?” She asked. “There is much talk of adapting the message, finding more inclusive language, and making it understandable (or palatable) for the people of today, but over the centuries illiterate people were able to understand what God wants from us, the message was brought to the farthest reaches of the planet without a worldwide web and was so convincingly understood that people were ready and willing to die for it. The church used beauty, it used hope, it used a guiding light in darkness in its art and architecture to match its message. What makes Catholic Christianity special today?”
When asked by The Daily Wire if she, as a historian, recognized historical similarities to those controversies leading up to this Synod, Lev replied, “In so far as the history of the Church, there was a lot of controversy in how to address the contemporary problems in the age of Luther – should priests marry? Should the church relax marriage doctrine? etc. — so yes we have seen this before.”
Lev concluded, “The waters have been choppy before for the barque of Peter, but it always seems to right itself. As Cardinal Ercole Consalvi allegedly noted (responding to Napoleon Bonaparte’s threat that he had the power to destroy the Catholic Church), the Catholic clergy have been trying to destroy the church from within for 1,800 years but have never been able to succeed.”
What challenges and decisions does the Catholic Church face when it comes to balancing adaptation and preserving its core beliefs and teachings
E world?” Lev questioned.
She further criticized the emphasis on adaptability and change, stating, “Adapting the message seems to be the catchphrase, but the message is the anchor in a storm, not just something to be dressed up and changed with each new generation.”
Lev believes that the focus on adaptation overlooks the transformative power of Christianity throughout history. “Christianity has stood up to medieval inquisitions and ideological revolutions. If the Church were to adapt according to popular opinion, it would no longer be recognizable.”
As discussions continue, the Catholic Church faces a delicate balance between adaptation and preserving its core beliefs and teachings. The outcome of the Synod on Synodality will undoubtedly shape the direction of the Church and impact its relationship with its followers and the world at large.
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