How Francis is changing the Church through the Synod on Synodality

The final text of the Synod on Synodality, which Pope Francis surprisingly released on Saturday, is to become the basis for a comprehensive change in the Catholic Church. It is the first such reform since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Although the document does not yet contain any changes to canon law, these have long been in preparation, as rumoured in the Vatican.

The text lays down basic guidelines for this and thus realises a project that Pope Francis has been pursuing persistently for years. The goals are ambitious: more participation of the "people of God", more transparency and accountability for church leaders and an opening of the church to those who have previously been disadvantaged or marginalised within it. The task now is to implement these principles in all local churches from Tromsø to Cape Town.

With a series of doctrinal statements and documents and a marathon of interviews, consultations and synodal assemblies at national, continental and global level, Francis has succeeded in changing the Church's image of itself. And he seems to have succeeded in taking large parts of the clerical hierarchy right up to the Vatican with him.

Women also have a seat and a voice

It all began with a jubilee speech to the Synod of Bishops on 17 October 2015, when Francis explained that he sees the stronger role of the College of Bishops in leading the Church, as desired by the Council, as only part of a broader principle that he calls "synodality". The word he coined has dominated theological and church policy debate ever since.

In March 2018, the International Theological Commission at the Vatican presented a study. Its title: "Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church." This was followed in the same year by the papal document "Episcopalis communio - On the Synod of Bishops". It took the highly binding form of an "Apostolic Constitution". With this act, he fundamentally changed the composition, procedure and scope of synods of bishops.

Since then, non-clergy, including women, have been able to participate in synods with a seat and a vote. Instead of an edifying biennial meeting of senior pastors, the synod was to become an organ for the participation of the "people of God" in church leadership.

The Pope's idea had its first practical test in the synodal process, which came to an end in Rome at the weekend after almost four years. There was no shortage of voices saying that a synod of bishops in which faithful without ordination also participate could not be a valid synod of bishops. Others were of the opinion that this type of synod, which is difficult to control, could promote divisive tendencies. And yet the Pope managed to conduct the consultation process in such a way that it was able to withstand tensions without clogging up conflicts.

The Synod Secretariat, which he reorganised, played a central role in mastering this Herculean task. The Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech managed to bring this extremely lean authority, which was not part of the Roman Curia, into play in such a way that the stolid Vatican power apparatus gave up its initial scepticism and cooperated. He was supported by the Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich. As "General Relator" of the Synod, he had a temporary but unchallenged authority due to his close proximity to the Pope - and he asserted this discreetly time and again.

Scandal surrounding Cardinal Fernandez

The scandal surrounding Cardinal Victor Fernandez in the final phase of the Synod on Synodality showed just how laborious and prone to disruption all of this was at times. The prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith was supposed to bring the controversial issue of the diaconate for women closer to a resolution in a commission and share the initial results of this resolution with synod members. When he failed to do just that and many synod members loudly accused him of a scandalous refusal to engage in dialogue, it became clear how difficult some top church leaders still find it to play by the rules of "synodality". And when, following the intervention of the synod secretariat, an open dialogue with the prefect was nevertheless established, this also said something about the new balance of power and priorities in the age of synodality.

At the end of the closing service of the Synod on Synodality on Sunday, Pope Francis gave a blessing. He spoke short of breath and exhausted. Cardinals Grech and Hollerich at the main altar of St Peter's Basilica also appeared tired. But the Pope left no doubt in his sermon that he sees himself and his people continuing on the right path. He said: "Let us therefore confidently continue our journey together (...) let us stand up and carry the joy of the Gospel through the streets of the world."