HOW EMBARRASSING!

Nope, not even prepping for my upcoming trip appears to have dissuaded me from additional commentary.

As the Synod on Youth continues, it becomes even more apparent that the new structure which Pope Francis has introduced within the framework of the Church’s process of discernment has nothing in common with the Synodal structure which Blessed Pope Paul VI called for following the close of Vatican Council II.

Then, the Synod of Bishops was designed to be one of the chief mechanisms by which a Pope could regularly and frequently seek the collective wisdom of the College of Bishops in fulfilling the Episcopal ministry whose responsibility it is to teach, sanctify and govern the faithful.

Now, under Pope Francis, the Synod appears to be the convening of what appears to be a “Board of Directors” rather than a solemn reflection on pertinent issues and questions which would benefit from the cooperative and collective discernment by Pastors of souls.

To wit: this year at the Synod on Youth, the Vatican starkly shifted the distinction between voting and nonvoting members from one of Ordination to one of sex.

Religious Brothers, who are considered laypeople, can officially vote in this year’s Synod.

But Women Religious, who hold the same lay status, were not only not allowed to vote but were not asked even to elect representatives at all. 

About 10 percent of the Synod participants are women, all chosen by Pope Francis, but none are appointed with voting rights.

After Vatican II reintroduced the concept and structure of Synodal consultations, Bishops were the only ones allowed to vote in Synods. 

At this Synod on Youth, however, some men who are not Bishops are allowed to vote, but that is an exception in relation to past practice.  Whether future Synods will retain this practice or extend the voting right to women remains to be seen.”

And so, here we have another blatant example of the Holy See shooting itself in its foot.

Either the Synod will be an instrument of discernment by the Successors of the Apostles, in which case only Bishops should have a voice in the deliberations.  Or the Synod will be a gathering of the Bishops and “others” who will share in the deliberations which pertain to Church teaching in matters of faith and morals.

If the latter is the case (and I pray it is not), then there is no justifiable reason within Creation to prohibit women from having a voice and a vote in such gatherings.

What is happening within upper echelons of Church governance is embarrassing.

I was once very, very enthusiastic about this Pontificate.  Sadly, that is no longer the case.

It seems as though Pope Francis, whom I pray is truly a good and noble soul, is just in over his head and has surrounded himself with loyal disciples whose agendas simply are in tension with the overall vision and mission of the Church.

And the fallout is continual embarrassment, shame and frustration on the part of some and growing disinterest on the part of a growing majority of the Catholic faithful.