Every day, Aleteia offers a selection of articles written by the international press about the Church and the major issues that concern Catholics around the world. The opinions and views expressed in these articles are not those of the editors.
Tuesday 3 May 2022
1. Pope Francis and the Synodal Church
2. As ambassadors left town, the Pope’s emissary remained in Kyiv
3. Pope’s doctor imposes 10 days of total rest and an infiltration for his right knee
4. Black Catholic nuns: A compelling long-overlooked history
5. Rare ‘Wicked’ bible that encourages adultery discovered in New Zealand
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Pope Francis and the Synodal Church
Last week a meeting of the committee for the Synod on Synodality, which Pope Francis has called for 2023, was held in Rome. Its purpose was to establish a common path, to talk to each other and to begin to concretize this Synod, which is supposed to give a new face to the Church: a synodal face. In fact, in Praedicate Evangelium, the new Constitution that regulates the tasks and functions of the Roman Curia, the Synod is no longer defined as a Synod of Bishops but simply as a Synod. That is, a synodal meeting that can be considered more as an assembly of the faithful than as a true governing body. According to Vatican journalist Andrea Gagliarducci, Pope Francis is thus implementing what he has always wanted: a “state of permanent synod.” However, some questions naturally arise. Will Pope Francis succeed in having a truly synodal and listening Church, or will his intentions clash with a reality he has helped to build? Many questions remain unanswered, especially when considering the consequences of the German synod.
And today we celebrate...
