Bishop: Synodal path helped the universal Church to understand synodality

Australian Bishop Shane Mack inlay has praised the work of the Synodal Path of the Church in Germany. "The fact that the Church in Germany embarked on this path without hesitation took a lot of courage and deserves great respect," said Mackinlay in an interview with Cologne's "Domradio" (Saturday). His experiences with the reform process have been "very encouraging and inspiring", said the bishop, who has followed the debates of the reform process as an international observer. "The whole process has helped us as a global church to understand how synodality can best be approached," said Mackinlay. "Thank God the Church in Germany has taken on this task with great courage."

He was particularly impressed by the preparatory work in the four synodal forums. The work here was done "in a very synodal way". The bishop emphasised the basic texts. "They are a very enriching source for the theology of the coming years and decades, because they provide a very comprehensive and detailed basis for the Church's reform approaches," said Mackinlay. "At the end of the Synod on Synodality, the Pope set up ten working groups to deal with precisely these topics and can refer very well to the findings from Germany."

German contributions to the Synod on Synodality an enrichment

Regarding the tensions between the Vatican and the Church in Germany over the synodal path, Mackinlay said: "A great deal of cooperation and understanding has grown on both sides, especially during the two sessions of the Synod on Synodality in Rome." Both sides now understand the "interests, fears and objectives" of the respective synodal processes. "There is great gratitude and respect on both sides."

Only recently, Pope Francis extended the Synod on Synodality by four years and heralded an implementation phase for the results. "I am very excited to see what contributions will come from Germany," said Mackinlay. "The contributions from Germany were already a great enrichment for all of us at the synod in Rome."

In the bishop's view, the implementation of the resolutions of the Synod on Synodality is not about "a major reform push that some might expect", but about many small details. Mackinlay cited the accountability of bishops as one example. "This is the only way to not just stick to promises and intentions, but to follow up on them in concrete terms and also make them public." He already sees many changes, but also a "great impatience for further reform steps". In addition to his role as an official observer of the Synodal Path of the Church in Germany, the Bishop of Sandhurst was also Vice President of the Australian Plenary Council and a member of the editorial team for the final document of the Synod on Synodality. (cbr)