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CNA Newsroom, Oct 5, 2024 / 10:35 am (CNA).

A Lebanese bishop made an impassioned plea for peace and forgiveness at the Synod on Synodality's daily press briefing on Saturday, as the assembly's first week drew to a close.

Bishop Mounir Khairallah of Batroun shared his personal experience of violence and forgiveness, recounting how his parents were murdered when he was just five years old.

"A Lebanese Maronite nun came to our house, took us four children to her monastery, and in church invited us to kneel and pray," Bishop Khairallah recalled. "She said, 'Let us pray not so much for your parents, but rather for those who killed them, and seek to forgive.'"

The prelate emphasized that despite ongoing conflicts, the Lebanese people consistently reject hatred and vengeance. "We Lebanese have always condemned hatred, vengeance, violence. We want to build peace. We are capable of doing it," he said.

Bishop Khairallah insisted that the majority of people desire peace. He called for an end to cycles of retaliation: "Enough with this vengeance, with this hatred, with this war. Enough. Let us build peace at least for the children, for future generations who have the right to live in peace."

The bishop's plea resonated with the broader sentiments expressed during the synod. Participants on Saturday issued "an urgent appeal for peace in the name of the synod," coupled with a call for "all religions to condemn fundamentalism with one voice."

Interaction with study groups

Earlier in the press briefing, Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, provided an update on the synod's proceedings.

Ruffini reported that Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the synod, had proposed interaction between synod members and the study groups established by Pope Francis.

"This proposal was put to a vote and approved by a show of hands," Ruffini said. "On Friday, Oct. 18, the coordinators and other members of the groups will meet with assembly members who wish to speak with them on the subject of their group."

Ruffini also noted that the language groups had completed their work on the first module of the Instrumentum Laboris, submitting documents containing propositions they consider fundamental for drafting the final document.

The Synod on Synodality will start its second week of discussions on Monday, Oct. 7, the day Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer and fasting for peace to mark the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel as violence continues to escalate throughout the region.

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CNA Staff, Oct 4, 2024 / 14:15 pm (CNA).

Toronto Archbishop Francis Leo told EWTN News this week that Catholics "must keep firm in our faith, proclaiming the gospel of life and a civilization of love" as assisted suicide grows in popularity around the world.

Physician-assisted suicide was legalized in Canada under the "Medical Aid in Dying" (MAID) program in June 2016. In the U.S. assisted suicide is legal in 10 states including Oregon, Washington, and Colorado as well as Washington, D.C.

"It is a travesty, honestly, that euthanasia is going strong," Leo told EWTN News President and COO Montse Alvarado on "EWTN Pro-Life Weekly" on Thursday. 

"Unfortunately, in different parts of the country more than others, [it is] not only legalized but being promoted," the prelate said.

MAID is the fifth-leading cause of death in Canada, tied with cerebrovascular diseases, and the program is expanding. It is "the world's fastest-growing assisted-dying program," according to August research by the Christian think tank Cardus. This summer a Canadian nonprofit filed a legal challenge to allow physician-assisted suicide for those suffering from mental illness.  

But Leo said that assisted suicide and euthanasia are "not the answer." 

"Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not kill, starting with yourself," he said. "And we worship the Lord of life, and he is the Lord of life and death." 

"'The Lord has come that we might have life, and life in abundance,'" the archbishop said, citing John 10:10, which he described as "one of my favorite passages." 

The prelate stressed the need "to live life abundantly here while we journey on earth and then enter into eternal life, the abundant life in heaven."

"But as we are here, amidst the temptations that are around us, we must keep firm in our faith, proclaiming the gospel of life and a civilization of love, which is both at the beginning of life in the womb and the end of life, when people are so vulnerable and are tempted to suicide," Leo continued. 

When asked how the Church is countering the physician-assisted suicide movement, Leo said that Canadian bishops are promoting palliative care and the sacredness of life. 

"Assisted suicide, euthanasia, medical aid and dying: It's a travesty, [it] should never have taken place," Leo continued. "We fought tooth and nail — the conference of Catholic bishops — and what we're doing right now is we are helping people to realize that the only alternative is palliative care."

The Canadian bishops promote Horizons of Hope, a toolkit for Catholic parishes on palliative care, which is a medical caregiving approach that strives to improve quality of life and mitigate suffering for people with serious or terminal illnesses.

"We're encouraging our communities to set up groups in the parish to help people understand the evils of euthanasia and assisted suicide and the benefits of palliative care within an even larger context of life and the gift of life," Leo explained. 

Leo admitted that the mission to promote life is a challenge.

"It's always a challenge because the culture is not very welcoming to that — but that doesn't scare us at all," he said. 

"But it is a challenge, and one to which we are engaged in, and with the strength of the insights of the Holy Spirit, I think we will definitely do our best," he said.

"I've already heard stories of people who, because someone went to their deathbed and someone spoke to them about faith and about the love of God, they changed their mind — that's what we're called to do to be ministers of the Lord, of the new covenant and of life."

"Just this past summer, we had the conference of bishops in the Archdiocese of Toronto, in conjunction with the Pontifical Academy for Life, [put on] a wonderful international interfaith symposium on palliative care," Leo continued.

"We're looking forward to the fruits of that: How to strengthen the Church's proclamation of the gospel of life and encourage people to understand the giftedness of life, the sacredness of life given by God," he said.

"And so the challenge is there," Leo said. "But we're up to it."

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ACI Africa, Oct 4, 2024 / 14:45 pm (CNA).

A Catholic journalist in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is being remembered as a man of peace after he was murdered on Sept. 27 in the Ndosho district of Goma. Edmond Bahati Mbarushimana was shot at close range on his way home from work.

During the Oct. 1 funeral Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral for the late Radio Maria Goma journalist, Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele of the Goma Diocese said: "I came to know Edmond through Radio Maria as a man of peace, a self-effacing man and a faithful servant, committed and conscientious in everything he did."

"It's hard to understand why such a man would be murdered," Ngumbi said. "I don't think the most important thing today is to look for answers to all the questions we ask ourselves, but I think the most important thing is to turn to the Lord in communion with all those who mourn Edmond."

On Sept. 30, authorities arrested 35 individuals in connection with the murder. Among those detained were the alleged killers. The suspects were presented to the mayor of Goma on the same day.

"Mr. Mayor, we present the results of the investigation conducted by the intelligence service of the 34th military region immediately following the murder of the Radio Maria journalist. Our forces have identified the perpetrators, including both the primary and accomplice, who now stand before you," said Lt. Col. Guillaume Ndjike Kaiko, spokesman for the Armed Forces of DRC (FARDC) in North Kivu.

One of the suspects admitted to the press that he was paid $5 to carry out the journalist's murder.

In his homily, Ngumbi called on the local authorities to shed more light on the case, urging the faithful not to harbor feelings of hatred.

"We must pray for the conversion of the murderers. We must not harbor feelings of hatred toward them. Hatred must never win our hearts. Nor any feeling of revenge," said Ngumbi, a member of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers).

He added: "We can only pray for their conversion, that they learn to be responsible men, committed to building a world of peace, justice, and brotherhood."

In his eulogy during the Mass, the editor-in-chief of Radio Maria Goma, Father Adeodatus Muhigi, said: "It's painful and unacceptable to lose a dynamic agent, concerned and full of initiatives for the development of our radio and the well-being of his colleagues and volunteers."

"We call on the political and military authorities to take their responsibility seriously and ensure the safety of the population. Otherwise, we risk dying like animals being led to the slaughterhouse," Muhigi added.

"For his dignity and the eternal rest we sincerely wish for him, we are doing our utmost to ensure that his name is not associated with any form of political exploitation."

Muhigi described Bahati as a man dedicated to his faith and the mission of the radio station. 

"We must therefore honor his beliefs and commitment, which have always distinguished him as a voice for the Virgin Mary," the Congolese priest said.

Bahati was laid to rest in his hometown, Rutshuru, on Wednesday. He leaves behind a wife and three children, the youngest only 10 days old.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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London, England, Oct 4, 2024 / 15:15 pm (CNA).

U.K. church and pro-life leaders have warned Prime Minister Keir Starmer that plans to introduce assisted suicide will put vulnerable people at risk.

Labour Member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater is proposing a bill that would give terminally ill people in England and Wales the right to end their life. The issue was last voted on in 2015, when members of Parliament roundly rejected assisted suicide. This time they will vote on the bill Oct. 16.

Bishop John Sherrington, head of life issues for the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, pointed to places where euthanasia has been legalized, such as Canada and Oregon, as a warning sign.

"The legalization of assisted suicide undermines the sanctity and dignity of human life. There is also now ample evidence across the world that the legalization of assisted suicide puts the most vulnerable members of society at risk," he said.

"I wish to reaffirm that the Catholic Church has always been opposed to assisted suicide in every circumstance."

Sherrington praised the work of "hospices and other health care institutions" that play a key role in "helping the terminally ill and dying to leave this world whilst preserving their dignity. They truly provide assistance to those who are dying."

In the 2015 vote, a proposed bill to enable terminally ill people to take their own lives was defeated, with 118 votes for and 330 against. The prime minister, who personally supports a change in the law, was one of the 118 to vote for the bill. He has previously said he would give members of Parliament a free vote on the issue, but Catholic peer David Alton of Liverpool warned of the "floodgates opening" if the law is passed.

Alton issued a stark warning to those supporting the new bill and encouraged the government to put more resources into palliative care. 

Warning against rushing the legislation through, Alton said: "Before the U.K. Parliament opens the euthanasia floodgates, it should first dispassionately consider outcomes in jurisdictions that have ditched protection of the vulnerable with ineffective safeguards. [Members of Parliament] should put their energy into better palliative care."

Alton was referring to Holland, where euthanasia has been legal since 2002. Twenty-four confirmed cases of euthanasia have taken place where the individuals concerned were diagnosed with autism or having a learning disability.

Alton also referred to Canada, where euthanasia was first legalized in 2016 through its medical aid in dying (MAID) legislation. In 2021, Canada repealed the requirement that the natural death of those applying for MAID should be "reasonably foreseeable." In December 2022, the government announced its intention to allow it for those suffering from mental illness. This is expected to be introduced in 2027.

Figures have shown that the number of people making use of assisted suicide or euthanasia has markedly increased. Alton said: "MAID has led to premature deaths, an increase in discrimination and stigma towards disabled people in Canada. Yet this is a law many campaigners in the U.K. support?"

"Euthanasia is a one-way ticket with no return. The challenge is to provide more palliative care, more hospice care at home, and an ethos which upholds human dignity and the sanctity of life."

The issue of assisted suicide has come to the fore in the U.K. after popular journalist and television presenter Esther Rantzen, who has terminal cancer, called for a vote on assisted suicide earlier this year.

Leadbeater said "now is the time" to vote on the issue, but pro-life group Right to Life UK dismissed the plans to introduce assisted suicide as a "disaster in waiting" — again referring to the effect of the legislation on vulnerable people. 

Right to Life UK spokesperson Catherine Robinson said: "Making assisted suicide legal poses an acute threat to vulnerable people, especially in the context of a struggling health care system."

"Every suicide is a tragedy, and this remains the case for those suffering at the end of their life. In such cases, vulnerable people may feel pressured to end their lives prematurely. This would be an extremely poor indictment of our health care system and society as a whole. The U.K. needs properly funded high-quality palliative care for those at the end of their life, not assisted suicide."

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CNA Newsroom, Oct 4, 2024 / 10:15 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church's Synod on Synodality has entered its final phase. Bishops, lay experts, and even non-Catholic observers from around the world have gathered in Rome this October for a monthlong assembly that could reshape the Church, its governance, and itsteaching. Pope Francis, opening the session, urged participants to listen to the Holy Spirit rather than pursue personal agendas.

Here's what you should know

The October 2024 session's focus is on "How to Be a Missionary Synodal Church" as the synod's 368 voting members consider proposals related to the roles of women, decentralizing Church teaching authority, and enhancing the laity's input in decision-making. 

• Decoding the Synod on Synodality: CNA's essential terminology guide

• Here's what will be new at the Synod on Synodality Part 2

Key developments

Oct. 3: Synod rules out women deacons

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, shuts down speculation regarding further theological study into the possibility of women being ordained as deacons. Father Giacomo Costa, special secretary of the synod, says this month's discussions held in the Vatican should serve as "laboratories of synodal life," Kristina Millare reports.

Oct. 3: Solving sexuality questions with 'contextual fidelity'?

A study group appointed by Pope Francis to explore a synodal approach to the Church's most debated issues — including sexual morality and life matters — proposes "contextual fidelity" and a "new paradigm" that downplays long-standing Church teaching, Jonathan Liedl notes. 

The story so far 

The first week at the Synod on Synodality — revolution or much ado about nothing? 

Vaticanist Andrea Gagliarducci analyzes the first days of the gathering in Rome. He writes: "It seems clear that while the delegates may discuss many things over the next three weeks, nothing will be decided. There will be no doctrinal changes. No diminution of the role of the bishop. No rush to resolve the question of opening the diaconate to women." 

Oct. 3: Many voices to be heard 

Cardinal Mario Grech, general secretary of the synod, says at a press conference that "every believer, man or woman, and every group, association, movement, or community will be able to participate with their own contribution" via the synod's 10 study groups.

Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, tells journalists the work of participants in the second session of the Synod on Synodality is to find the "cohesive voice" that expresses the life of the Church.

Oct. 2: Pope Francis calls for new ways for bishops to be 'synodal'

At the first meeting of the full assembly of the Synod on Synodality on Wednesday, Pope Francis says a bishop's ministry should include cooperation with laypeople and that the synod will need to identify "differing forms" of the exercise of this ministry.

Oct. 2: Pope Francis opens synod, warns against personal 'agendas'

Pope Francis opens the second and final session of the Synod on Synodality, which is meant to deepen the missionary perspective of the Church, explains EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser.

"Let us be careful not to see our contributions as points to defend at all costs or agendas to be imposed," the pope says at the synod's opening Mass on Oct. 2, Courtney Mares reports. The pontiff warns: "Ours is not a parliamentary assembly but rather a place of listening in communion."

Oct. 2: Looming questions about role of German 'synodality' 

"More candor about the motivations of the German Synodal Path and its vision of the Catholic future would be helpful in determining what, if anything, it has to offer the world Church at Synod 2024," comments George Weigel in the National Catholic Register.

Oct. 1: Penitential liturgy is held in St. Peter's Basilica; more than 500 people attend

On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis says the Catholic Church must first acknowledge its sins and ask for forgiveness before it can be credible in carrying out the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to his Church, Kristina Millare reports. 

9 years ago, this papal speech set the 'synodality' machine in motion

Since Pope Francis' 2015 speech, synodality has grown from a theological concept into a guiding principle of Church governance. Analysis from Jonathan Liedl in the National Catholic Register.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 4, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Capping off a very busy month of international travels, Pope Francis made a surprise announcement last Sunday to the thousands of attendees at the papal Mass at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels.

"On my return to Rome, I will open the process for the beatification of King Baudouin," the pope said as the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.

Francis went on to call Baudouin a man of faith who serves as an example for leaders today. He also asked the Belgian bishops to "commit themselves" to advancing Baudouin's canonization cause.

So, who is this Belgian king who, if the pope has his way, may become the next Catholic king to be declared a saint? Meet King Baudouin, the monarch who gave up his earthly crown rather than make himself complicit in the killing of the unborn.

Man, monarch… saint?

Baudouin was born in 1930 in Belgium's Chateau of Stuyvenberg.

From a young age, his life was marked by hardship. His mother, Queen Astrid, died in a car crash when he was just 4 years old. At 14 he and his family were taken captive by invading Nazis. After the war, revolutionary forces in the country compelled his father, Leopold III, to abdicate in favor of his son, throwing Baudouin into a life of service to his country.

His over 40-year reign, 1951–1993, marked a time of intense social, political, and religious upheaval in Belgium and the world. Despite all this change, Baudouin carried out his duties with complete devotion to his country and his Catholic faith, serving as one of the few unifying factors in the country for which he was beloved by his people.

In 1960, he married another devout Catholic, Princess Fabiola de Mora y Aragon. Though Baudouin greatly desired to be a father, the royal couple never bore children; Queen Fabiola suffered five miscarriages during their marriage.

Despite this, both Baudouin and Fabiola maintained a deep faith in God. The couple found strength in the Eucharist and according to the testament of the chaplain of the Belgian Court, the couple attended daily Mass together.

Baudouin and Fabiola were great promoters of the faith, especially the Catholic charismatic movement. Their witness stood in sharp contrast to the general movement of Belgium, Europe, and the West away from Christianity toward secularism.

Baudouin gives up his crown

In 1990 Baudouin and Fabiola made a pilgrimage to the Holy House of Loreto, Italy. While there they asked the Blessed Virgin Mary for the courage to fight against a new Belgian law legalizing abortion that was then under discussion.

Just months later, the Belgian Parliament passed the law legalizing abortion until 12 weeks of pregnancy.

As king, Baudouin had the duty of signing all new legislation into law, a duty he had carried out faithfully for decades. However, Baudouin refused to sign this law. Citing his Catholic beliefs and his own inability to have children, Baudouin informed the government that he could not and would not sign the law.

In a message to Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens, Baudouin explained his decision, saying: "I fear that this law will contribute to a palpable diminution of respect for the lives of the weakest among us."

This decision caused significant political pushback and threw the country into a constitutional crisis.

In response to criticism, Baudouin wrote: "I know by acting in this way I have not chosen an easy path and that I risk not being understood by many of my fellow citizens. To those who may be shocked by my decision, I ask them: Is it right that I am the only Belgian citizen to be forced to act against his conscience in such a crucial area? Is the freedom of conscience sacred for everyone except for the king?"

Ultimately, Martens concocted a compromise in which Baudouin agreed to declare himself unfit to rule so that the government could carry out the democratic process needed to enact the law.  

On April 3, 1990, Baudouin was removed with his consent from the Belgian throne for his refusal to sign the abortion bill. Due to his massive popularity, however, Parliament restored his crown just 36 hours later on April 5.

A leader to illuminate today's leaders

On July 31, 1993, at the age of 63, Baudouin died from a sudden heart attack. Once again, he brought the country together as citizens across Belgium mourned his passing. He had reigned continuously for 42 years except for those 36 hours in 1990.

Pope John Paul II praised Baudouin in a 1995 general audience in which he said that "he was a great guardian of the rights of the human conscience, ready to defend the divine commandments, and especially the Fifth Commandment: 'Thou shalt not kill,' especially with regard to the protection of the life of unborn children."

This past weekend, Pope Francis, accompanied by the current Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, visited the royal crypt at Our Lady of Laeken in Brussels. While there, Francis spent a few moments praying in front of Baudouin's tomb.

According to the Vatican, Francis praised Baudouin's courage for choosing to "leave his place as king in order not to sign a murderous law."

Referencing a bill currently being considered in Belgium to further expand abortion, the Holy See Press Office said that "the pope urged Belgians to look to him [Baudouin] at this time when criminal laws are still being made."

Considering this and other laws, conflicts, and struggles throughout the world, Francis voiced his hope that Baudouin's "example as a man of faith enlightens those who govern."

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Caracas, Venezuela, Oct 3, 2024 / 16:25 pm (CNA).

The leader of the Chavista (socialist) dictatorship in Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, announced this week the beginning of the Christmas season in the country "as decreed" by his regime and despite strenuous objections from the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference.

Maduro, in the middle of a program broadcast nationwide on the government's television channel, referred contemptuously to the bishops as "some guys in cassocks" who dared to state "that there would be no Christmas if they didn't decree it."

"No, mister in a cassock, you're not decreeing anything here. Jesus Christ belongs to the people. Christmas belongs to the people and the people celebrate it whenever they want to celebrate their Christmas," shouted Maduro, who is under numerous accusations of drug trafficking, corruption, crimes against humanity, and election fraud, which allegedly took place during the July 28 presidential election.

"Oct. 1 until Jan. 15 is the start of the Christmas season, New Year's Eve, and welcoming in the year 2025," he declared. Maduro closed his program with "aguinaldos," which are traditional Venezuelan Christmas-themed songs.

Since Tuesday in Caracas, the country's capital, Christmas trees and other decorations have appeared in several of the city's most emblematic monuments and government buildings.

In a statement posted on Sept. 3, the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference (CEV, by its Spanish acronym) reacted to Maduro's decree to move up the start of the Christmas season by stating that this Christian holy season "should not be used for propaganda or particular political purposes."

"Christmas is a celebration of a universal nature that commemorates the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The manner and time of its celebration are the responsibility of the ecclesiastical authority, which ensures that the true spirit and meaning of this event of spiritual and historical richness is maintained, as it marks the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ," the CEV emphasized.

The bishops also pointed out that Christmas is a time "of reflection, peace, and love, and must be respected as such" and recalled that Christmas time begins on Dec. 25 and ends on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord, every Jan. 6.

"To prepare for Christmas, the liturgy offers us the time of Advent, which this year begins on Dec. 1. These celebrations are accompanied by traditional Christmas parties and Christmas Masses," the Venezuelan bishops concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 3, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Some 9,000 Christians in three villages in southern Lebanon are in constant danger because of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, warned Sister Maya El Beaino, a nun of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. 

In a statement to the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the nun indicated that "the situation is horrible. We are in constant danger."

She explained that "there is no hospital nearby and we only have three hours of electricity a day. We have no water or internet connection to call for help."

This week, the Israeli government ordered the bombing of several parts of Lebanon and the entry of its soldiers into the southern zone, with the aim of finishing off Hezbollah, an ally of Iran.

The bishop of Sidon, Maroun Ammar, told ACN that "many people have left their homes in southern Lebanon and have taken refuge in our diocese. We will have to help the displaced and distribute food packages to them."

The ACN project coordinator in Lebanon, Marielle Boutros, said that "people are now living in church halls" and need material help, especially in anticipation of the arrival of winter, although they remain hopeful that the conflict will not last so long.

Sister Maya, who decided to stay in Ain Ebel, a village about three miles from the border with Israel, said: "Everyone talks about the people who have fled, but no one talks about the many Christians who have chosen to stay because they fear losing their home and their land forever."

She added that "although many left the region at the beginning of the Gaza war, many families have returned home because life in Beirut is very expensive and because they could not bear to be separated from their parents, who were left alone in the south."

Currently, ACN has 200 projects in Lebanon, most of them focused on emergency aid, especially for the dioceses and religious congregations in Beirut and the country's south.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Vatican City, Oct 3, 2024 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

Perhaps it is in the very nature of the Synod on Synodality to take steps back after having taken several steps forward. But the tone of the opening days of the synod's final general assembly makes it apparent that, for the moment, there is no talk of revolution within the Church. 

That tone was set days before the gathering got underway this week at the Vatican, when in his speech in Belgium on Sept. 27, Pope Francis said that the synod wasn't meant to advance what he called "trendy reforms." 

Now it seems clear that while the delegates may discuss many things over the next three weeks, nothing will be decided. There will be no doctrinal changes. No diminution of the role of the bishop. No rush to resolve the question of opening the diaconate to women. 

Instead, this month's real challenge may well be how to manage the expectations of those hoping and pushing for sweeping changes. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the synod's general rapporteur, alluded to that danger at the end of last year's assembly when he noted that many would be disappointed if women were not given a greater role in the Church. 

But is a major change in Church governance in the offing? That seems unlikely. Pope Francis himself, in his remarks at the opening of this year's assembly Oct. 1, emphasized that "the presence at the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of members who are not bishops does not diminish the episcopal dimension of the assembly," a reference to the dozens of laypeople and women religious participating as voting delegates. 

He added, with evident annoyance, that suggestions to the contrary were due to "some storm of gossip that went from one side to the other." Indeed, there is not even "some limit or derogation to the authority of the individual bishop or the episcopal college," he said. 

Rather, the pope tried to clarify, the assembly "indicates the form that the exercise of episcopal authority is called to take in a Church aware of being constitutively relational and therefore synodal." In short, it is a "modus gubernandi," a way of governing. Yet it remains a government rather than an open forum. 

There have been plenty of other signals that no revolution is imminent. 

For example, there was Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, who in his report on new ministries said that Pope Francis does not consider the moment for the female diaconate to be "ripe." The reflection continues, in other words. The Church will endeavor to give more space to women in decision-making roles, but further discussion is needed as to any kind of ordained ministry — something the pope had already indicated in his in-flight press conference Sept. 29 on his way back from Belgium. 

Also, in their intermediate reports to the synod, the study groups commissioned by the pope to examine questions of a female diaconate and other controversial issues showed a certain prudence on the part of the bishops in addressing doctrinal questions. The bishops may concede to giving the laity a greater say in decision-making, perhaps, but not when it comes to doctrinal matters.

The study group tasked with examining the role of the "bishop-judge" is a clear example. Pope Francis has placed the bishops at the center of the marriage annulment process, asking — indeed almost imposing — that they are the final judges. But the bishops called to speak on the issue have instead reaffirmed that the bishop, in some cases, ought to have the option of delegating that responsibility to regional and national courts that "could guarantee great impartiality in decisions." Is this a step back from what Pope Francis already has requested? 

And when it comes to making the process of selecting bishops more transparent, much depends on how the apostolic nuncio in each country exercises the selection process. There is a call for "more attention to the local Church" and "more involvement of the local Church," but this is a question of approach, not revolutionary change.

Similarly, while the news is that the Dicastery for Bishops has launched an investigation to evaluate the practice of ad limina visits, we know already that Pope Francis has long included interdepartmental meetings in his ad limina visits when the local situation requires it. 

The study groups also have emphasized that there is no need to change the Ratio Fundamentalis, the Vatican document, already revised by Pope Francis in 2016, that serves as the basis for the formation of priests and deacons. At most, the study group text states, one could write "a preamble on the one hand clearly describing the relational identity of ordained ministers in a synodal and missionary Church and indicating on the other hand principles and criteria for the implementation of the Ratio Fundamentalis and the Ratio Nationales in harmony with this ecclesiological and missiological framework." 

Perhaps the most interesting part concerns the question of the relationship between the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Latin Church because, the study group text states, it aims to have a "document of the Holy See, edited by the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, addressed by the Holy Father to the Latin bishops and containing some guidelines on these aspects." 

The synod's canonical commission focuses on making diocesan/eparchial and parish pastoral councils mandatory. But this theme already is highlighted in the International Theological Commission's document on synodality, released in 2018. 

So far, in short, there is much ado about nothing. Perhaps there is a greater emphasis on the "cry of the poor" and on the need not to focus on doctrinal issues. And yet, when it comes to making a concrete proposal, the bishops appear content with their ordinary discipline.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 3, 2024 / 15:25 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is asking the U.S. bishops to invite the faithful throughout the country to join in prayer on the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel.

In an open letter to the bishops published Wednesday, Broglio lamented the "horrific attack" by Hamas on Israeli citizens on Oct. 7, 2023. He also expressed his sadness over the continued captivity of Israeli hostages, the deaths of the Gazan civilians killed in the ensuing war against Hamas, and the "dramatic rise" in antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate crimes throughout the U.S. and the world.

"The terrible loss of life in Israel and in Gaza, as well as the spike in crimes of hate here in the U.S. and elsewhere, is a source of great sorrow to us as Catholics," Broglio said.

He went on to say that "compassion is not a zero-sum game."

"We hear the cries of lament of all our brothers and sisters — Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims and Christians — all of whom have been traumatized by these events. We join in mourning all whose lives have been cut short. We share the earnest desire for lasting peace," he emphasized.

Broglio also shared his dismay over the recent escalation of the conflict at the Israeli-Lebanese border. In recent weeks both Iran and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah have launched hundreds of missiles into Israel. In response, Israel has launched a series of missile barrages and attacks into Lebanon.

Calling to mind the invitation for the faithful to participate in a day of prayer and fasting on Oct. 7 from the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Broglio asked his brother bishops to extend the commemoration to the faithful throughout the United States.

"Our Catholic faith teaches us to hope even amidst the darkest of circumstances, for Christ is risen from the dead. Out of death God brings forth a new creation," he said.

"As this anniversary approaches, in a time of anguish and trauma," he went on, "let us seek ways to express our solidarity with our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters. Let us also commit ourselves to combat all forms of hatred directed towards Jews and Muslims, and to work for a lasting peace in the land of the Lord Jesus' birth."

Broglio asked that his letter be distributed to the clergy and lay faithful throughout the Catholic Church in the United States "to invite them to join the Christians of the Holy Land, together with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in fervent prayer for an end to the violence in the Holy Land, for the safe and prompt return of all hostages, and for the conversion of hearts so that hatred may be overcome, opening a pathway to reconciliation and peace."

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