By The General Secretariat of the Synod published the “Recollecting” resource for diocesan synodal teams on July 27.
Ahead of the 2028 ecclesial assembly for the Synod on Synodality, the Vatican has called on dioceses to provide an assessment of their implementation of synodality.
The General Secretariat of the Synod published the document “Recollecting” on July 27, providing diocesan synodal teams with a resource to draft their reflections on their progress since the diocesan phase began in October 2021.
In the accompanying press release, Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the synod, explained that the notes are intended to help local Churches “recollect” their synodal journey with gratitude.
“Evaluation is not a technical exercise but an experience of gratitude and truth,” Grech said. “Recollecting means recognizing what the Lord has brought to maturity in the journey of our communities and allowing ourselves to be guided towards the next steps.”
The recollecting phase is part of the 2028 preparation for synodal teams and will culminate in a broader reflection during the first half of 2027. Each diocese is to prepare two documents around that time: a narrative report and a letter to the other Churches.
The document “Recollecting” called for discussions about the challenges facing synodality at the local level, including resistance.
“Particular attention should be given to the difficulties encountered, resistance to renewal, obstacles that have hindered the journey, unsuccessful attempts and questions that remain open,” the document stated.
The recollecting phase of the synod’s implementation path is one of four preparatory stages before the ecclesial assembly in 2028. The other three are “Interpreting” in the second half of 2027, “Orienting” in the first four months of 2028, and “Celebrating” in October 2028.
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Recalcitrant bishops can claim their parish council fulfills the response. Can anyone define the essential procedural difference?
On the other hand, Cardinal Gretch’s announced intent for national and continental layers of synodality is not mentioned, yet (?). Meaning that the buck stops with each successor of the apostles and not.with substitute gatherings around round tables, goes d’oeuvres, and bundled/scripted consensus.
Lumen Gentium remains intact, as already further articulated in Apostolos Suos (1998). Invasive Germanized Gallicanism is in the rear view mirror. Yes?
St. Shakespeare got it right. Much sound and fury, signifying nothing. And now the more sober and ever new task of faithfulness to both halves of the Holy Spirit’s “hierarchical communion”: the universal call to holiness without abusing the difference in roles between the baptized/ordained and the baptized. And, the difference between a Synodality of bishops and a town hall meeting with bishops reduced too much to a role “primarily as facilitator” and too little as accountable affirmers of the deposit of faith.
“Meaning that the buck stops with each successor of the apostles”. Should it stop there, as with a parish council [PC], allowing the consultative forum of both Synod and PC to be in effect deliberative? Attendant bishops simply facilitators.
That is, making decisions for Archbishops and Metropolitans to consider. Should not that final say on faith and morals be with the Roman pontiff? The primary defender of the faith.
Yes, but to notice my attempted clarity from the back bleachers “…each[!] successor” not referring to any “synod.”
“The pastoral office or the habitual and daily care of their sheep is entrusted to them completely. Nor are they [individually] to be regarded as vicars of the Roman Pontiff, for they exercise an authority which is proper to them, and are quite correctly called ‘prelates,’ heads of the people whom they govern. Their power, therefore, is not destroyed by the supreme and universal power. On the contrary it is affirmed, strengthened, and vindicated thereby, since the Holy Spirit unfailingly preserves the form of government established by Christ the Lord in His Church” (Lumen Gentium, Ch. 3, n. 27).
Then, also to your point, and to protect against any remaining ambiguity and possible exploitation later after the Council, this for example from the “Explanatory Note” (Nov. 16, 1964) by Pope Paul VI and the International Theological Commission, still prior to the final vote by the Council on the Constitution Lumen Gentium (Nov. 21, 1964):
“[….] In other words there is no distinction between the Roman Pontiff and the bishops taken collectively, but between the Roman Pontiff by himself and the Roman Pontiff together with his bishops. Since the Supreme Pontiff is the head of the College {….] In every instance it is clear that ‘the union’ of the bishops with ‘their head’ is contemplated, and never any action of the bishops taken ‘independently’ of the Pope” (Explanatory Note, nn. 3,4).
Acknowledging, here, that the third bullet on page 13 of the document “Recollecting” retains the suspect National and continental layers, but now as contributing to an “ecclesial assembly” (not a synod) in 2028. Also, a hint toward a perpetual motion machine beyond 2028.
How to do the “universal call to holiness” centered on and not displacing the Real Presence/Perpetual Adoration? Or, not displacing the sacramental Catholic Church (CCC 1374) and Magisterium with a Protestantish/congregational “ecclesial communion”.
You’re right on target as always.