CNA Newsroom, Aug 16, 2022 / 9:02 a.m. (CNA).
On Monday, the Swiss Episcopal Conference published a document for the next Synod on synodality in Rome, reporting that the Catholic Church was seen as suffering from clericalism – as well as “denying equality to women” and excluding “people with an LGBTQ identity”.
“Several official Church positions on the role of women in Church and society, on sexuality and lifestyles are perceived as pejorative and exclusive,” the Swiss report said according to CNA DeutschCNA’s German-language news partner.
“The Synodal Assembly of Switzerland, held on May 30, 2022 at Einsiedeln Abbey, finalized the report based on comments and requests for adjustments,” the bishops explained.
“This assembly had the task of combining the reports from the diocesan phase of the synod into an overall national report.”
The document is silent on the number of survey participants who were to be part of the global synodal process.
In Germany, the “number of faithful who took part in the survey of the World Synod of Bishops in the dioceses” had only been “in the lowest single-digit percentage”, reported CNA Deutsch.
“In Switzerland, synodal debates and questionnaires have raised awareness of the importance of baptism for the life of the Church,” the bishops said. said.
“It was pointed out that a synodal church increasingly recognizes ‘the royal, priestly and prophetic dignity and vocation’ of the baptized”.
Two points, in particular, were highlighted, namely “overcoming the experience that many people are excluded from full participation in the life of the Church” and a critical examination “of the clericalism that still exists in some places”.
The report also stated that synodality would only be successful once “clericalism is overcome and an understanding of the priesthood increasingly develops as an element that promotes the life of a more synodically oriented church.”
On clericalism, the 11-page report said“Criticism of the exercise of power by ministers is inflamed by observations of clerical mentality, abuse of power, ignorance of the realities of life and culture in Switzerland, the devaluation of women and the rejection of people from the LGBTQ spectrum, withdrawal into notions of individual identity of being a priest, lack of caring for people, disinterest in the poor, etc.
In another section, the report also cites minority votes. These are mainly aimed at “questioning the need for a synodal culture for the Catholic Church, not changing the role of priests and the current hierarchical form of the Church, limiting the influence of lay men and women in the Church, and more preservation and promotion”. traditional forms of the liturgy, in particular the “extraordinary form”.
Pope Francis announcement a synod on synodality in March 2020 to “offer an opportunity for all the people of God to discern together how to move forward on the path to being a more synodal Church in the long term.”
The process of preparing for the synod began with consultations at the diocesan level in October 2021. A continental phase is expected to begin in March 2023, according to the synod on synodality. website. The final and universal phase will begin with the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, on the theme “For a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission”, at the Vatican in October 2023.
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