The October 2023 synodal assembly is complete, and now we have less than a year to apply all the lessons we’ve learned and insights we’ve gained as we prepare for the second and final round at the Vatican in October 2024. But what have we learned?
After all, out of more than one billion Catholics in the world, only 463 or so participated in the proceedings in the Paul VI Audience Hall. Furthermore, the pope directed these participants to maintain confidentiality about who said what. We are not privy to information about which participants had heated exchanges or what controversies broke out in the aula.
We also have no details about moments of grace where the Holy Spirit broke through and guided the participants to an inspired consensus on a contentious topic.
The Method of Synodality
Those of us who followed the Synodal Assembly in the news saw plenty of photos of the round tables arranged throughout the hall, including the one on a slightly raised platform where Pope Francis sat.
Information was shared about the rules — how the discussions at each table began with prayer and silence, followed by each participant having the opportunity to speak to their group for three uninterrupted minutes on the topic.
This would be followed by more prayer and silence, and then another opportunity for each person to speak. Next, individuals were given opportunities to speak to the entire assembly. We learned that the assembly was egalitarian.
Fr. James Martin, a U.S. participant, wrote in America that this format “was radically equal: Every member could speak, and priority was given to those who had not yet spoken”. He also described his realization “that the message of the synod is this method, which could help the Church immeasurably in a time of great polarization”.
We also learned that each of the participants encountered people from diverse backgrounds, because the groups shifted throughout the assembly. Many said they benefitted from this format. U.S. Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, who was part of three Spanish-speaking groups and two English-speaking groups, said in an interview that working with so many different people gave him “a sense of deep communion with the other bishops and other people from the Church in other countries”.
As fruitful as the method used in the October assembly might have been, it is not entirely replicable as a template for diocesan and parish synods. What is the feasibility of implementing this sort of approach locally, such as parishes, dioceses, or episcopal conferences? Are there other methods and processes better suited for synodal dialogue in local churches?
Hopefully, the pope and the other participants in the October Assembly will provide direction, guidance, and assistance on how we can realistically apply these methods in our own communities.
Synodal dialogue and consensus
The publication of the final documents at the conclusion of the assembly confirmed what Pope Francis and synod organizers had insisted all along — the purpose of the synod was not to change doctrine, nor would it overhaul the authority structure of the Church.
Contrary to progressive hopes and traditionalist fears, the participants in the Synodal Assembly did not recommend dramatic changes to Catholic moral theology or ecclesiology. Instead, the members approved a short “Letter to the People of God” and a more lengthy Synthesis Report, “A Synodal Church in Mission.”
Both documents contain numerous affirmations of Catholic teachings and principles, and they express clearly that synodality is the way forward for our global, diverse, and often polarized church. The letter describes the assembly as a time of intense prayer and contemplation.
Calling the process the “conversation in the Spirit method,” the participants noted that they regularly “made significant room for silence to foster mutual listening and a desire for communion in the Spirit”. They also expressed that their ecumenical “thirst for unity increases in the silent contemplation of the crucified Christ”.
They provided some insights on what needs to be done before the final session in October 2024. The participants said concrete participation from the entire church will be needed during this period — including the poorest and those on the margins.
They also called for the church “to be attentive to all those who do not share her faith but are seeking the truth”. The Synthesis Report reflected a strong consensus among the participants. Every paragraph of the 41-page document was approved by at least 80 percent of voters, with many approved nearly unanimously.
As the introduction states, “We have sought to sing like a choir, many voices as though expressing one soul. The Holy Spirit has gifted us with an experience of the harmony that He alone can generate; it is a gift and a witness in a world that is torn and divided”.
How was this consensus reached, and what can we learn from it?
Certainly there was stark disagreement from members of the assembly on many issues. The final synthesis sought to emphasize areas of convergence and Pope Francis gives his homily at the Mass opening the assembly of the Synod of Bishops in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican October 4, 2023. topics that would need further consideration.
Concrete proposals were also suggested, but even these took the form of matters about which the church should explore more deeply. For example, in Chapter 13 on the relationship between the Pope and bishops, one of the proposals is that “it is necessary to carefully evaluate whether it is opportune to ordain the prelates of the Roman Curia as bishops”.
In other words, the participants are calling for an assessment of this practice, not demanding a change.
No consensus reached
On many hot-button issues — such as ordaining married men, women deacons, and pastoral ministry to LGBT Catholics and those who are divorced and remarried or in polygamous relationships — the Synthesis Report’s recommendations took this approach as well.
The participants were unable to reach a consensus on precisely how to address these issues, but they overwhelmingly recognized a need for continuing study, reflection, and dialogue in these areas. What lessons, then, can we draw from the nature of the consensus achieved in the Synthesis Report?
More than anything, it shows how — in a prayerful and respectful atmosphere — Catholics from a multitude of backgrounds, experiences, and opinions can come together and have a sincere and fruitful dialogue about the important issues facing our Church. They showed through their experience that it is possible to discern areas of agreement, even in controversial areas.
Furthermore, the participants demonstrated their openness to return to contentious issues, allowing doors to remain open in the face of uncertainty. Synod 2023 has given many of us a first glimpse of the synodal way of “being church”, and a path to overcoming our polarization and ideological divisions.
The church has a long way to go before we truly undergo a synodal conversion, but the early signs are promising.
Mike Lewis is the managing editor of the website Where Peter Is. Previously, he worked for Catholic Climate Covenant and the communications department of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
