THE
P RTAL
December 2018
Page 24
‘Synodality’, its
meaning and uses
An examination by Geoffrey Kirk
A new word
has entered the Catholic vocabulary: ‘synodality’. The
Holy Father has expressed himself an enthusiast for devolving at least a
part of the Pontifical authority to periodic gatherings of bishops. This might
seem at first sight a sensible development, which accords well with the teaching of Vatican II about the
responsibilities of the bishop in the local church and the direct relationship of every bishop to the occupant
of the Roman See. But there are problems.
Synods of bishops are not General Councils. It
would be hard to see, even if they were scrupulously
democratic in their organisation (which they are not),
how such gatherings could assume the authority of
more than temporary consultative bodies. They are
presently summoned with particular topics in mind –
‘the Family’, ‘Youth’ and so on – so that it is hard to
see how they can sensibly address topics beyond their
narrow remit.
Pontifical approval, might become part of the Church’s
Magisterium, then a new, a potentially powerful
instrument of governance has been created without
any general agreement about how it is constituted and
how its agenda is to be determined.
Among the many innovations of this pontificate,
this could, over time, prove the most significant, and
potentially the most destabilising. Together with the
notion of increased authority for national conferences
‘Synodality’, as a concept, is said to have emerged of bishops we could even see an ’Anglicanisation’ of
from the Synod on Youth and Vocation. Many the Church – as if the danger signs were not already
have supposed that a topic which was not in the plain to see.
Synod’s brief, and which was hardly discussed at its
meetings, was foisted
upon of
it the
at the
last minute.
The
The Friends
Ordinariate
of
of
the
Ordinariate
of
The
Friends
of
the
Ordinariate
of
question must be The
‘by Friends
whom’
,
and
‘to
what
purpose?’
Our Lady of Walsingham
Our
Lady
of
Walsingham
Our
of
Walsingham
The a Friends
the
Ordinariate
of
The danger is that
major
change
of Christian
ecclesiology
is
Supporting
the Lady
Holy of
See’s
vision
for
Unity
The Friends
of
the
Ordinariate
of
Supporting
the
Holy
See’s
vision
for
Unity
Supporting
the
Holy
See’s
vision
for Christian
Christian
Unity
The
Friends
of
the
Ordinariate
of
Our
Lady
of
Walsingham
being introduced
by
sleight
of
hand.
If,
as
has
been
With The
the Friends
Parish Lady
of of
Our
Lady
of the Assumption
the
Ordinariate
of
Our
of
Walsingham
the
Parish
of
of
Assumption
Our
of Lady
Walsingham
With
the and
Parish
of Our
Our
of
the
Assumption
Supporting
the
Holy
See’s
vision
for the
Christian
Unity with
suggested, the With
final
documents
of such
Synods,
St Lady
Gregory,
Warwick
Street
Our
Lady
of Lady
Walsingham
Supporting
the
Holy See’s
vision
for Christian
Unity
and
St
Warwick
Street
The
Friends
of
the
Ordinariate
of
St Gregory,
Gregory,
Warwick
Street
Supporting
the
Holy
See’s
vision
for the
Christian
Unity
With
the and
Parish
of Our
Assumption
Supporting
the Holy
See’s Lady
vision of
for the
Christian
Unity
With
the
Parish
of
Our
Lady
of
Assumption
Our
Lady
of
Walsingham
The
Friends
of
the
Ordinariate
of
St Gregory,
Warwick
Street
With The
the and
Parish
of of
Our Lady
of the
Assumption
Friends
Ordinariate
of
St Gregory,
Warwick
Street
With the and
Parish
of Our the
Lady
Assumption
Supporting
the
Holy
See’s
vision of
for the
Christian
Our
of Walsingham
and
St Lady
Gregory,
Warwick
Street Unity
and
St Lady
Gregory,
Warwick Street
Our
of Walsingham
Supporting
the Holy
See’s Lady
vision of
for the
Christian
Unity
With
the Parish
of Our
Assumption
Supporting the Holy See’s vision for Christian Unity
St Gregory,
Warwick
With the and
Parish
of Our Lady
of the Street
Assumption
With the and
Parish
of Our Lady
of the
Assumption
St Gregory,
Warwick
Street
and St Gregory, Warwick Street
Annual
Annual Epiphany
Epiphany Carol
Carol Service
Service
Annual
Epiphany
Carol
Service
Annual
Epiphany
Carol
Service
Annual
Epiphany
Carol
Annual Epiphany Carol Service
Service
Annual Epiphany Carol Service
Annual
Annual Epiphany
Epiphany Carol
Carol Service
Service
A
OF L ESSONS & C AROLS
A F F ESTIVAL
ESTIVAL OF L ESSONS & C AROLS
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
A
F F With
ESTIVAL
OF
C
AROLS
With
Benediction
of ESSONS
the Blessed &
Sacrament
A
ESTIVAL
OF L
L
ESSONS
&
C
AROLS
A
F
ESTIVAL
OF
L
ESSONS
&
C
AROLS
Monday
7th
January
2019
at
6.30pm
A Monday
F With
ESTIVAL
OF
L
ESSONS
&
C
AROLS
Benediction
of
the
Blessed
Sacrament
7th January
2019 at
6.30pm
With Benediction
of the Blessed
Sacrament
With
Benediction
of
the
Blessed
Sacrament
Followed
drinks
& Gallettes
des Blessed
Rois
in at
the C
Challoner
With
Benediction
the
Sacrament
A Monday
F by
ESTIVAL
OF
L of ESSONS
AROLS Hall
7th
January
2019
Followed
by
drinks
& 7th
Gallettes
des Rois
the 6.30pm
Challoner
Hall
Monday
January
2019 in &
at
6.30pm
Monday
7th
January
2019
at
6.30pm
A
F
ESTIVAL
OF
L
ESSONS
&
C
AROLS
With
Benediction
of
the
Blessed
Sacrament
Monday
7th
January
2019
at
6.30pm
Followed
drinks
& & Gallettes
des
Rois
A Church
F by
OF of
L ESSONS
AROLS
The
of Our
Lady
the
& Challoner
St Gregory, Hall
Followed
by ESTIVAL
drinks
Gallettes
des Assumption
Rois in
in & the
the C
Challoner
Hall
The
Church
of
Lady
of
Assumption
&
St
With
Benediction
the
Blessed
Followed
by
drinks
&
des
Rois
in
the
The Monday
Church
of Our
Our
Lady
of the
& Challoner
St Gregory,
Gregory, Hall
7th
January
2019
at
6.30pm
Followed
by
drinks
& Gallettes
Gallettes
des Assumption
Rois
in Sacrament
the
Challoner
Hall
Warwick
Street,
London
W1B
5LZ
With
Benediction
of the
the
Blessed
Sacrament
Warwick
Street,
London
W1B
5LZ
Warwick
Street,
London
W1B
5LZ
The Monday
Church of Our
Lady
of the Assumption
& St Gregory,
7th
January
2019
at
6.30pm
The Church
of tubes:
Our
Lady
of the
Assumption
& Circus)
St Gregory,
Piccadilly
Circus
& Oxford
Followed
by (Nearest
drinks
& Gallettes
des
Rois
in at
the
Challoner
Hall
7th
January
2019
6.30pm
The Monday
Church
of tubes:
Our
Lady
of the
Assumption
& Circus)
St Gregory,
(Nearest
tubes:
Piccadilly
Circus
& W1B
Oxford
Circus)
Warwick
Street,
London
5LZ
(Nearest
Piccadilly
Circus
&
Oxford
The
Church
of
Our
Lady
of
the
Assumption
&
St Gregory,
Warwick
Street,
London
W1B
5LZ
Followed by drinks
&
Gallettes
des
Rois
in
the
Challoner
Hall
Warwick
Street, London
5LZ
Followed by (Nearest
drinks
& Gallettes
des
Rois
in the
Challoner Hall