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ON WEDNESDAY, POPE Francis opened the second and final session of a historic Synod in the Vatican.
This final phase of the rather mysteriously titled ‘Synod on Synodality’ is taking place until 27 October and it may suggest doctrinal changes to Church teaching.
The first phase took place last October and a final document from the Synod will be presented to the Pope early next year.
The Pope will then later issue his own final text based on the Synod’s discussions.
While the first phase of the Synod addressed issues such as the place of LGBTQ+ people within the Church and whether women should be ordained, these topics have since been sent out to study groups to consider.
These groups are due to report back next June, meaning any decision won’t be taken until then.
However, the group looking at whether women should be ordained this week said that while the study remains open, “based on the analysis conducted so far… there is still no room for a positive decision regarding the access of women to the diaconate”.
Kate McElwee, the executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, said that “while many have attempted to silence the conversation on women’s ordination, dismiss our work as ‘lobbying,’ or relegate the discernment into the shadows, we are determined to be visible”.
Pope Francis had said that taking these issues off the table would help Synod members to focus more on the “mission of the Church” and how to increase participation.
This week, he also called on members to “be careful not to see our contributions as points to defend at all costs or agendas to be imposed” and added that participants should not “seek to advance their own causes or agendas without listening to others”.
However, groups partaking in the Synod have said it is “inevitable that these issues will come up in discussions”.
Indeed, the term LGBTQ+ didn’t appear in the synthesis document arising from the first phase of the Synod.
This document was voted on line by line, and it’s understood the term LGBTQ+ was left out because of concerns that any paragraph including it would not get the two-thirds vote required due to opposition from African and Eastern European bishops.
Julianne Moran is the general secretary of the Irish Synodal Pathway and speaking to The Journal last year, she said: “I can understand the upset for people that the actual title LGBTQ+ didn’t appear in the document, but sexual identity as a question did.”
The Synod assists the Pope with its counsel and “consider questions pertaining to the activity of the Church in the world”.
The word “synod” means “assembly” and Pope Francis describes it as “journeying together”.
This is the 16th Synod and for the first time, women and laypeople have a vote in the assembly.
While the majority of the 368 voting members are bishops, 70 are non-bishop members and 54 of these are women.
The current synod was formally announced in March, 2020 and the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics were invited to express their views on the Catholic Church and its challenges to help guide the institution through the 21st Century.
Insights from local parishes feed into national documents, which in-turn were distilled into continental documents presented at the Synod.
Topics addressed in the first phase included issues such as the place of LGBTQ+ people within the Church, whether women should be ordained, and whether married men can serve as priests in regions with insufficient clergy.
A letter from Pope Francis in February remarked that these issues “require in-depth study” which is not possible to do this month during the second session of the Synod.
The Pope said the study groups should contain “Pastors and Experts from all Continents to take part in them.”
He added that they should take into “consideration the most relevant current experiences in the local Churches”.
It’s likely Pope Francis will issue the final Synod text after receiving the study group reports in the summer.
A group that supports LGBTQ Catholics, DignityUSA, said that while it is “inevitable that these issues will come up in discussions, we recognise that specific proposals will not come out of October’s deliberations”.
But DignityUSA questioned how diverse the study groups are and added that the Synod process has “exposed the need for truly radical changes in our Church”.
A Penitential Vigil presided over by Pope Francis took place in St Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday on the eve of the Synod.
The Vigil “requested forgiveness for sins of abuse, sins against women, and sins of using doctrine as stones to be hurled”.
There were testimonies of war, sexual abuse and migration.
The testimony about sexual abuse came from Laurence, a South African man who was abused at the age of 11 by a priest.
“One beautiful South African morning, he took me by the hand to a dark place where, in shuddering silence, he took from me what should never be taken from any child,” he told St. Peter’s Basilica and the pontiff during the service.
“My story is one of many, and it is by sharing these experiences and facing them fearlessly that we shed light on this particular perfidious darkness,” said Laurence.
He said the “reluctance to address these crimes openly has been a disservice to the victims and a betrayal of the Church’s ethical and spiritual responsibilities” and that a “key factor in the crisis is a lack of transparency within the Church”.
Francis said the service was intended “to begin to heal wounds that never stop bleeding.”
“We ask forgiveness, feeling ashamed, from those who have been hurt by our sins,” said the Pope.
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Great piece. United Ireland forums should start now. The unionist population should be heavily involved in this. They should be assured that their July 12th day of identify should be marked as a public holiday etc etc
I for one won’t be celebrating it but whoever wants to celebrate it should be well entitled too.
Their customs and traditions should be respected provided they respect other customs and traditions. It’s a too way street
Finally it is only a matter of time before we become ‘a nation once again’
I will be an extra proud Irish man that day
@@at: you think the Nationalists in the North would respect the traditions of the Prods in a United Ireland? No way.
@Chin Feeyin: If you and your ilk don’t want to respect the other traditions of this Island, hop on a boat, off with you, over you go to kiss Andrews ring.
No one is holding you here by force
@@at: I don’t think you’re ready for a United Ireland if your first response to simple question is leave the island and kiss rings. I hope someone helps you gather up your toys.
@Clifford Brennan: oh Clifford I am more that ready for it. You obviously don’t know who posted the question, do you ? This chap is going around on this site spreading hatred and bile on all things Irish
Re read my post again like a good lad especially the part where it says that unionists traditions should be respected provided they respect other traditions
If they are not prepared to respect other traditions in equal measure then there is only but one alternative
Now, I bet you feel a fool now. In future read and digest before you comment
@@at: never gonna happen lad. The north is too filled with hate and ignorance.
@@at: Here’s the thing, I haven’t seen any hatred or bile. I’ve seen you scattering your lego when your ( hopefully) naive magnanimity is questioned. You either don’t realise what uniting the country will involve, or you don’t care as long as it gets united. Both positions are dangerous.
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: don’t worry it will happen. Hate can only take you so far
@Clifford Brennan: Clifford, just because YOU have not seen it, don’t not mean it is not posted here. The whole world does not hinge on what you see and don’t see. You only have to look through yesterday’s article on the UK GA to find plenty of hatred from this chap
It is you that is coming across very childish but adopting the approach ‘I did not see it therefore it could not have happened’
Grow up …
@@at: best comment ive read for sometime. Not a fan of the orange lads but for a united ireland to work we need to be inclusive to all whom we share the island with. Reassure them their traditions are safe and their culture will be respected. New anthem, flag, holidays etc. You catch more bees with honey..
@@at: Is this hatred/ bile you reference their not wanting a united Ireland? You’ll find many in life who don’t share your opinions. It’s best if you don’t open discussions with ‘get off my island and kiss rings’. Ironically, its one of your own comments that has been removed by mods. Why was that?
@Clifford Brennan: Once again you have let yourself down Clifford. You are now speculating on what the poster said even though a few min ago you have clearly stated that you did not see any of this.
Let me enlighten you because it is obvious that you don’t have a clue what the aforementioned poster said or did not say. The poster constant narrative on here is to run down and insult the nationalist community in the North at every single opportunity he gets. I called him out as a hate filled loyalist on here and this is why my comment was deleted. The posters cover has been blown and once that happens his posts loses their impact and even people like you will not be fooled by them anymore
So this is why he reported me and got comment removed
Before you speculate, educate yourself
@Clifford Brennan: open your eyes Clifford. There is a lot more activity from our Northern friends on this website lately with all this anti Irish comments. All this ‘return to violence’ nonsense if there is a UI
the reason I am pretty certain of this is that, I have deliberately left an unused website in my twitter profile and any time I pull up one of these chaps on their nonsense talk I automatically get a visit or 2 on my website from a certain part of Northern Ireland
Knowledge is power Clifford, educate before you speculate
@@at: Oh I’ve read a lot of what this poster has said previously. Like I said their crime is not being in favour of a united ireland. You translate that into they hate nationalists so therefore must be hate filled loyalists who enjoys bonfires etc, and are therefore welcome to leave/ kiss rings etc. This is why I said you mightn’t be ready for a united ireland, much less what getting united will entail. Folk being against a united ireland is a position you’ll run into a lot in the days ahead. Flying off the handle and running with your least best version of what loyalism means to you, kind of undermines your magnanimous declared vision of mutual respect. For what its worth I agree with most of what your first comment outlines. Your reaction to a basic question is the issue. It betrays you.
@Clifford Brennan: no Clifford, you cannot back track now
You clearly have not read most of what he said. Clearly not. You only have to go back to yesterday. He was pulled up by a good few other posters here on his comments
Stop back tracking
@Chin Feeyin: we’ve been respecting unionist traditions since partition. Why would anything change?
@@at: Jaysis, agreeing that mutual respect is paramount is backtracking now? Here’s what I’ve read from you: “Everyones traditions are to be respected”. Someone else: “would nationalists respect “the prods”. You: ” shut it, you bonfire loving loyalist, leave now, kiss rings” ( comment subsequently deleted) I know you’re avoiding this gaping hole in your warm inclusivity but still. You must see how it undercuts everything you’ve said. Seriously!
@Clifford Brennan: Awwww,! Come on lads,!
@@at: It doesn matter what the man said or didn’t say. We are all wise enough to know when Loyalist trolls appear on here, as we also do when supporters of particular free-state parties appear trying to wind others up.
perhaps its ordinary reasonable guys like Clifford who might not be able to spot them when they first appear. Perhaps Clifford is right though and maybe you should instead be killing them with kindness.
that aside – fair play to the Journal for publishing the above article – it was one of the best on here in quiet a while!
@Clifford Brennan: nope, nope. You stated earlier that hos only crime is not wanting an united Ireland. If you had studied the posters comments the last few days you would clearly see it runs far deeper than that with his hatred and bile towards the nationalist community
You said you have read his comments and judging what you have said, you clearly have not read his comments at all and you have been caught bluffing
That is where you big large back track came from
Now, I will not waste anymore time on someone like you who cannot admit they got it wrong when they tried to call me out on something
Come back to us when you are less gullible and have grown up a bit
@Clifford Brennan: I have explained to you about the comment been deleted
And please point out to me where I used the derogatory word ‘prod’
If you cannot point it out, I expect a full apology
@@at: Right, I’ve read through a few of the articles you mentioned. The extent of this bile/ hatred you mentioned is them saying they dont want a united Ireland, boris won’t allow a border poll, & welcoming the sdlp gaining a seat. At worst, they replied “curry my yoghurt” to a “tiocfaigh ar la” comment. Your accusations are suspect, and thats being generous. Your own part involves calling anyone you disagree with a loyalist/unionist/ the ring kissing thing. Again, your use of these folks as a term of slander undercuts your earlier open armed welcome to all. With regard to “the prod” part of my comment, can i delicately suggest you read the comment again? You’ve mobilised your outrage on the back of your own poor comprehension. Lastly, was the mod right to delete your comment?
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: A sweeping statement that radiates your own ignorance and thinly veiled hatred in itself. It would be like me saying: Irish citizens who have Norman surnames are all just craven West-Brits with wildly misplaced delusions of grandeur.
@Chief Buck Cat: Ouch
@Chin Feeyin:
Well the Nationalists n the North wouldn’t be running the country.
Unionism brought down not by Irish Nationalism but by English Nationalism – who would have thought it – -English nationalists do not want the Unionists – imagine living with people English Nationalists who do not want you – but all the Unionist do is shout at nationalists.
@GO GREEN: The historian Norman Davis wrote a history book around 2011 on the vanished kingdoms and countries of Europe which have come and gone over the centuries.
He predicted English nationalism would lead to Scottish independence and an United Ireland.
Over the next few years, it will be interesting to see if he will be right.
Re- reading it over the last few days.
The end is “neigh”
@Matt Dillon: no-way hi !!!!
Independent Northern Ireland.
Hopefully a peaceful end to British apartheid in Ireland…
I don’t know why the UK Gov want to keep it. It costs an absolute fortune to keep! I think it’s a poison chalice! Let it go Britain, let it go!
@Dom Layzell: No, thanks. They can keep it.
@Chin Feeyin: they can keep you FFG mouth piece. We will welcome our brothers and sisters with open arms
And stop thumbing up your own comments you clown. You had the comment posted less than a min and loads of thumbs up on it
@@at: you can only give yourself one thumb up.
@Dom Layzell: —–And do you think that we can neutralise the poison?
@Dom Layzell: guess who picks up the tab!!
@Stuart Wootten #FBPE: We will have to pay a little more in taxes to carry out the heavy work for our brothers and sisters?
@Dom Layzell: It’s not a case of the the UK gov or anyone else wanting to keep it. Northern Ireland is part of the UK. If and until a majority of the population decide to leave the UK and want to join Ireland in some form of a united country, then Northern Ireland will remain part of the UK, whether the UK gov want it or not.
At the minute, the only people pushing for a border poll are Sinn Féin. Based on their percentage of Thursday’s vote, they represents less than 23% of the population of Northern Ireland. A border poll is a long way off, a united Irish state farther away again.
Sinn Féin’s campaign efforts include flooding social media, the Journal included. I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the nonsense that masquerades as comments on here.
@Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: like your own comments
@Pat Ryan: Thanks Pat. I think your comment is an excellent example of what I was referring to. You have no considered opinion of your own, so you substitute glib nonsense for discussion. Well done.
@Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: Thanks Feardorcha, But as an Irishman I aspire, dream & hope for a 32 County Ireland, where we are thought to speak Irish in School, sing Amhran Na bhFiann, & look up to Dev in school history etc! Aspirations surely dont have costs? Its not a big ask.
@Stuart Wootten #FBPE: “guess who picks up the tab!!” Stuart Wooton picks up the tab. Thank you for raising the issue and volunteering. You are a gentleman.
The Northern entity always had a shelf life…Ireland had lots of lines drawn on it over the centuries…They came…they went…this carved out colonist fiefdom will be no different…Ireland’s border is the beach…just like Iceland’s and Malta’s….That’s just the way it is and no amount of tattered union jacks hanging from lampposts in Larne will change that. So it might be a good idea to start a conversation as to how we deal with it coz as we all know…if you don’t deal with reality…it has a rather awkward tendency to deal with you.
Time to consider a federal Ireland solution to soften the departure from UK for northern Unionists
Ulster is 9 counties but it was Gerrymandered into 6 in order to make the Protestants be in the majority and then it was called N. Ireland, I suppose next year this will be called hate speech because facts offend people who want to ignore them with the PC police ready to attack???
Kathy, Ulster unionism is really a state organised sectarianism, its not Ulster because about 3 of the 9 counties that make up Ulster would be classed as really Unionist, it was a land steal from Elizabeth 1′s plantation and that unionism is based on hate of religion, surname and area based on religion and DNA but too many are afraid of saying the truth because it might offend when its facts. The Irish and English get on well together but up there hatred is a wall used for sectarian clanish mental illness.
@TamuMassif2019: If unionism is based on DNA, how do you explain Arlene Foster (nee Kelly)?
Questions need to be asked about the Protestant Faith’s and why they perpetuate hatred towards Catholic Irish.
Only last week , the Church of Ireland held a commemoration in Christchurch for the 150th anniversary of the disestablishment of the Chuch of Ireland.
Why oh why, would they commemorate that.
@Teresa Ryan: Commemorate ? Next year, they will be handing back the tithes with interest. 1869 – 1171 = 698 years of refunds plus interest. Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Banks – be prepared for the wave of money.
Another ‘ethnic’ minority group looking for freebies and special treatment!!
There are no winners in NI only people on both sides that are victims. The sectarian divide promoted both by SF/DUP for their own self serving ends is what makes it ungovernable. Triumphalism is not a policy option it’s an outdated emotive way of sustaining division.
“Secondly, the DUP has been chastened.” Arlene doesn’t do chastening – that’s a Catholic thing.
have your say