THE CHURCH IS NOT A DEMOCRACY
In Rome, they are in the first week of a “Synod on Africa” Approximately 150 bishops from the African continent are gathered in the Synod Hall inside the Vatican for twice a day meetings. Joining them are bishops, some religious heads of orders and a few lay people. The “Synod” is an outgrowth of the desire of the fathers at the Second Vatican Council for greater collaboration between the world’s bishops and the Holy Father so once every three years an ordinary meeting is called and then as needed the Pope calls the bishops of a continent or region together. The latter is happening now. The Holy Father attends most of the General or Ordinary Sessions at which each participant is allowed to make a five minute intervention (aka “speech”). It takes the first two weeks to complete the 170 or so speeches which can be quite tedious on the attendees. Then they break down into small groups and try to make final recommendations to be voted on by the assembly and then given to the Holy Father for his final review. After about a year, the Pope issues a document on the Synod’s work.
There are no press or media allowed in the Synod Hall at any time and an occasional press briefing is held where one or more of the Synod fathers summarize the nature of the discussions to date. The working press assigned to the “Vatican beat” hate this but have learned how to live with it by developing sources within the hall who tend to share any “fireworks” that may happen. The Church has safely guarded over the centuries the role of the Pope as universal pastor of all the Churches so the synod process underscores that decisions for the good of the whole Church are solely in his hands. Many Catholics, particularly living in the world’s democracies have a hard time with this but for myself, I think it has served the Gospel far better than any other governance model. No Holy Father that I have ever known has been on a “power trip” and neither should any bishop. I have attempted to be as collaborative and collegial as I can, running almost everything through countless committees and I will continue to do that until I die or hand over the diocese to my successor. But I am also conscious of my duty to uphold the faith and traditions of our Church and to be loyal to Peter’s successor. It has been rare that I have had to swallow hard but there may been some of those moments but I only have a feel for what happens here and not how this might affect Kenya or Korea and Samoa. That is the gift of the Holy Father and the Spirit which guides him.
The Church in Africa has striven mightily to get the western world to accept that there are cultural realities which she faces that are unique to most of the continent. So for the next three weeks that will make their case to “Peter” and those who collaborate with him. But there will be no deliberative vote on Church polity at the end. They will defer to Peter and I hope you know by now how that is a good thing.
+RNL
Tags: Holy Father, Second Vatican Council, Vatican